No community is immune to violent crime

The vicious attack on an 85‑year‑old Carefree woman last week shows that no one and no community is immune to violent crime.

The elderly woman sustained life‑threatening injuries. Fortunately, she is expected to recover. Nonetheless, the anguish she has suffered, both physical and mental, will be hard for her to overcome.

If or when the attacker is caught, he should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Furthermore, the fact such a criminal act took place here could be indicative of the shape of things to come if we, as a community, are not vigilant against crime in general.

“The area where she was attacked is a really low crime area and this is unusual,” said Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Jim Kempher last week.

Let’s hope this cruel act remains just that–unusual.

Law enforcement personnel will tell you that most crimes in quiet communities such as ours tend to be crimes of opportunity, meaning nonviolent acts such as thefts from unlocked vehicles and unsecured houses.

But as one retired Midwest judge remarked some years ago, “little crimes lead up to big crimes.”

We should all do our part to keep crime from becoming commonplace in our community, be it something as simple as locking doors or keeping a watchful eye over those who are the most vulnerable.