Elderly Lake Merritt Woman's Brutal Death Increases Oakland Residents' Fears

The murder of Ivarene Lett, Oakland's oldest homicide victim in history, in a secure, high-rise apartment building in the Lake Merritt neighborhood earlier this week, not to mention the recent, notorious Lovelle Mixon incident, has become the last straw for many Oakland residents, especially the elderly. Mayor Dellums' proposal to cut city funding of 140 police officers to help close a $100 million budget gap isn't helping matters either. [Update] Apparently, the mainstream media has been misleading the public about the proposal. The federal government would be using stimulus money to pay for those 140 officers. Many residents will no longer consider risking a stroll around the lake after dark, and there have been recent incidents of brazen daytime robberies by gang-members and the homeless. Male black commenters on SFGate also noted increased racial tension from their suspicious white neighbors. With crime likely to increase in the impending summer months, Dellums has his work cut out for him.