Spotlight: Is Crime On The Rise In The Small Arizona Town of Sierra Vista?

Is Crime on the Rise in this Small Arizona Town?

Sierra Vista has a reputation for being a quiet town. Although it's seen a lot of growth in the past ten years, it still has a small-town feel. Most businesses close early, and there isn't much-reported crime.

According to the website Crime Axis,

"Sierra Vista has a lower violent crime rate compared to both Arizona and the national average. In Sierra Vista, the rate of violent crimes is 2.62 incidents per 1000 residents, while in Arizona, it is 9.2 incidents per 1000 residents, and the national average is 4 incidents per 1000 residents."

Lately, it's been difficult to tell if there has been an uptick in violence and crime in Sierra Vista or if a recent spike in social media attention makes it seem as though it's getting worse.

Recent Incidents of Violence in Sierra Vista

As the incidents are discussed on local Sierra Vista social media sites, readers worry things are getting worse. Long-time residents lament that things never used to be this way and point to a variety of real and perceived factors as the cause.

Are the occurrences of violence increasing in the area? Here are a few local stories that made statewide headlines recently:

• Two people were killed outside a local Sierra Vista Mexican fast-food restaurant, Filiberto's. According to KGUN9, police reported that the deadly shooting was tied to an illegal drug sale debt.
• KOLD reported that a Sierra Vista man shot at and then pulled a knife on another driver during a road rage incident.
• A Cochise County Sheriff's deputy was injured while attempting to stop a fleeing smuggler's vehicle KGUN9 reported.

Get our free mobile app

Road Rage in Sierra Vista

According to a new press release from the Sierra Vista Police Department:

"A Sierra Vista man shot and killed another Sierra Vista resident after an alleged road rage incident on Saturday, June 22."

The incident followed a two-vehicle collision at North 7^th Street and Raymond Drive. The alleged suspect was arrested and booked into the Cochise County jail on first-degree murder charges after he'd apparently shot the other driver.

The community is still reeling from this tragedy. The victim was a veteran and well-liked throughout Sierra Vista. Friends and relatives are still processing the tragic loss.

Neighborhood Scout reports that Sierra Vista is 24% safer than other US cities. Let's hope things stay that way. Is this still a safe place to live? Time will tell.

[ Sources: SVHerald.com | Press Release: Sierra Vista Police Department | CrimeAxis | KOLD.com | KGUN9.com | Neighborhood Scout  ]