Recent violence outside downtown Columbia business prompts owner to call for action
Nia Hinson
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Columbia has a youth violence problem, and it’s only been portrayed more in recent months. At least that’s what Columbia business owner Dimetrious Woods believes.
Woods owns Woods Auto Spa on Business Loop 70 and Essentialz convenience store in downtown Columbia on East Broadway. To Woods, the downtown area has become a place where juveniles flock to hangout at night, especially on the weekends.
But sometimes, those hangouts escalate into larger problems.
“We see younger people that I deemed shouldn’t be outside at that time of night…14, 15-year-olds and groups kind of hanging out and you know, innocent fun has a wya of turning disruptive amongst juveniles,” Woods said.
Woods said he’s seen that escalation first hand. From arguments, to fights, to robberies between juveniles, Woods said he’s seen it all happen right outside the doors of his business. One of those incidents happened July 13.
Woods said an employee inside of the business heard a noise, which turned out to be the sound of the front window of the business being shaken. What ensued next, according to Woods, was a group of people fighting on the sidewalk right outside his business. Woods said he wasn’t sure on the exact ages of those involved, but he claimed they appeared to be on the younger side.
After seeing the group, Woods went outside to attempt to deescalate the situation with pepper spray, and yelled at the group to stop. When no one listened, out of fear for what could happen if he didn’t put an end to it, he said he showed he had a gun, which prompted those involved to leave the area.
In the video of the incident provided by Woods, a voice can be heard saying people are about to start fighting, followed by a brawl on the sidewalk and screams.
A Columbia teenager was also killed in June after an armed robbery. Zarian Simpson, 18, was found dead with a gunshot wound at the Eastgate apartment complex. Court documents say the vehicles allegedly involved in the robbery were seen outside Essentialz shortly before the shooting.
Court documents, along with surveillance video obtained by ABC 17 News, shows four people rob Simpson at gunpoint outside of the store.
Steven Paden, 34, is charged with robbery in the first degree, armed criminal action and second-degree murder in connection with Simpson’s death. Two juveniles are also accused in his death.
Woods said it’s those situations that make him believe a curfew for juveniles in the city could be beneficial.
“I remember when I was a child, what kept me in check was a juvenile curfew,” Woods said. “I respected it and I didn’t want my mom to get up. She had to go to work and I respected that very well. I don’t have all the ideas. I just know that sitting down and doing nothing and talking about it is not how we’re going to have a safer, more pleasant Columbia so we need ideas, we need action.”
Woods took to his social media page, pushing for the idea of juvenile curfew after the July 13 incident.
Columbia leaders have discussed the possibility of a juvenile curfew in the city, but no official proposals have been made.