Streetlight transforms Mesa neighborhood after shooting, residents say

by · ABC15 Arizona

MESA, AZ — A streetlight installed on a short, dead-end block in Mesa has quieted what neighbors describe as months of troubling activity — including a shooting that left families shaken and determined to act.

The stretch near E. Billings Street and N. Winterhaven Drive, located between Gilbert and Lindsey roads, had become a gathering spot after dark. Residents say they regularly witnessed yelling, screaming, and cars parked for hours at a time.

On Oct. 22, Mesa police say three people were shot during an argument at Billings and Winterhaven. None of the injuries was life-threatening, but for the families living just feet away, it was a breaking point.

Neighbor Amy Jo Hadlock and others took their concerns to city leaders. They applied for a dusk-to-dawn streetlight and gathered petition signatures to demonstrate community support. Hadlock says the light was installed a couple of weeks later.

"After this light went up, it became silent again," Hadlock said.

The change, she says, has been dramatic.

"People would come here and just hang out. Youth that weren't doing the best things would come and do transactions here, or who knows. Sketchy drugs going on. By having this light, we don't see any of that anymore," Hadlock said.

A few doors down, neighbor Dwight Pittman says his family finally feels safer.

"I don't feel that there are other shenanigans that would take place. It's easier to look down here and say there's nothing going down, and if there is, then you can immediately alert the authorities," Pittman said.

The city of Mesa operates more than 46,000 streetlights for safety during dark hours. A city spokesperson shared this statement with ABC15 on Wednesday:

"The City of Mesa appreciates residents bringing concerns to its attention. Following a neighborhood request, Transportation staff evaluated the location and determined that an additional streetlight could be installed to enhance lighting in the area. Residents can request new streetlights, report potholes or submit other street-related concerns at mesaaz.citysourced.com or through the MesaNow app."

This story was reported on-air by Sean McDowell and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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