Community calls for homeless shelter closing

Local lawmakers, residents and colleagues of a murdered homeless shelter director rallied outside the facility to call for the city to shut it down. Ana Charle was shot three times and killed as she

News 12 Staff

May 1, 2015, 6:25 AM

Updated 3,292 days ago

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Community calls for homeless shelter closing
Local lawmakers, residents and colleagues of a murdered homeless shelter director rallied outside the facility to call for the city to shut it down.
Ana Charle was shot three times and killed as she left work at the Project Renewal Homeless Shelter for Men on Monday. Police arrested 39-year-old West Spruill, a convicted felon, in connection with the shooting and attempted rape.
Councilman Andrew Cohen says that police have received 1,000 emergency calls since the shelter opened in January 2014. The shelter itself had requested additional funds for increased security, according to Cohen.
Officials say that about 60 percent of the shelter's residents are convicted felons. Their crimes range from murder to rape, and 40 of them are registered sex offenders.
Local residents say their input was never taken into account when the facility opened, and now they want it closed. They also oppose a second shelter planned to open in another building just 500 feet away.


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