Anthony Resident Says More Lights Equals Less Crime

CANUTILLO, TX. -ABC-7 reportedearlier in Septemberabout a father who says he was protecting his daughter when he shot an alleged intruder in the chest.

It happened September1st near the intersection of Anthony and 7th Street in Canutillo. Canutillo resident Danny Morales says it was dark when he tried protecting his daughter by shooting a man. “It was pitch dark. I couldn’t see his face. AllI could see was a blur running at me, yelling vulgarities and obscenities at me, threatening me.”Morales thinks if the area was better lit thenperhaps the criminal wouldn’t have felt so emboldened.

“Lighting is an effective tool to prevent the crime element from surfacing,” Morales added. There is a light on the corner of Anthony and 7th Street, butMr. Morales would like to see one installed on a light pole close to his house.”Our first priority is lights in areas that don’t have any lights at all,”said Ernie Carrizal ofthe County Road and Bridge Department which handles streetlight installation for the outlying areas.

Carrizal says he or the department head would check out the situation firsthand before asking commissioners for permission to install the light.Morales hopes the county comes through for him – so he can rest easier at night. The county says residents who want a light installed on their street could also get a petition with all the affected neighbor’s signatures. The request would ultimately need to be approved by the county commissioners. Residents in the city of El Paso only need the approval of their city council representative to get new lights.