North Austin woman pushes for help with recurring crime in St. John's area

AUSTIN, Texas (FOX 7 Austin) - There is a cry for help from a St. John's area neighborhood resident. Ellen Duran, a double amputee, has lived here for a while and she says what she sees, is troubling, to say the least.

"You've got drug dealing going on. You’ve got drug users going on, you've got prostitutes,” she said.

Others in the area agree. "People just use the bathroom out in the open, indecent exposure. I’ve seen a lady flashing her private parts,” said Kerianne Johnson, neighbor.

But Ellen says she is not only worried about herself, but children who attend Webb Middle School. "Those kids walk to school. They walk home from school and they have to see it every day,” said Duran. Ellen says she has tried to bring it to Austin police’s attention but she says they don’t do much about it. "They can do it, and they are refusing,” she said.

Crime stats from last year show a number of drug arrests and prostitution on St. John’s Avenue. Austin police say there is no uptick in crime here, but St. John's is only one exit down from Rundberg Lane, where police held an initiative to address crime a couple years ago. 

Ellen believes because of her calls to police, criminals are targeting her.

"I do not feel safe. I've already been assaulted once,” said Duran. We reached out to police who confirmed that there was an assault involving Ellen.

They say they have spoken to her and they are aware of her concerns.

"I'm trying to put a stop to it. I don’t approve of this going on in front of kids," said Duran.