Milwaukee Unrest One Month Later: Neighbors Still Don't Feel Safe

A month has now passed since the fires and other disturbances that followed an officer-involved shooting in Milwaukee's Sherman Park neighborhood.

CBS 58 returned to see how residents are doing one month later.

A park bench sits in place of a bus shelter that was destroyed just one month ago. The owner of the gas station that went up in flames, still assesses the damage, and a 'Reopening Soon' sign is plastered on a boarded up window at the BMO Harris Bank after unrest turned the Sherman park neighborhood upside down a month ago. 

"My biggest thing is, I miss the gas station," says resident Eva Smith.  

Eva Smith says the gas station served as a mini grocery store.

 "My son, I can't just send him there now. I don't trust him by himself going to the other stores cause they're like two blocks, three blocks, from our home," says Smith. 

For Jerome Evins, it's the little things like sitting under a bus shelter before heading to work, that he can no longer take advantage of. 

"That's the difference, when things get torn up, it's missed," says Evins.  

While small gatherings are still a common place in certain areas, community leaders say they're optimistic the neighborhood will get back on its feet.

"This is a resilient community. Every community has challenges, and we will get by this," says Barry Givens with the Sherman Park Neighborhood Association. 

"It was a better neighborhood. I wish it was back the way it was. Quiet," says Evins. 

In spite of the rebuild, Smith says she doesn't feel safe anymore.

"I'm always looking out my window and I'm always still seeing things. Hopefully we can stop this crime some kind of way," Smith says. 

The owner of the BP gas station says he plans to rebuild. He also says Sherman Park is still a nice neighborhood.