Homeless on edge after murders

By: Kathryn Bursch

St. Petersburg, Florida – Talk to people living in tents and they’ll tell you it’s never easy sleeping on the street, but the murders of two men who police call transients has the homeless on edge.

Kathy Hines, Worried about murders:

“But to know somebody’s out there doing it to the homeless…it’s a scary thought.”

Police are investigating two early morning shootings in alleys less than a mile away from each other. And in both cases witnesses saw three teenagers walking away.

The two victims, Jeffery Shultz and David Heath, were known to people on the street. Shultz recently shared a tent with Kenny Schweinberg and the news of his murder hit hard.

Kenny Schweinberg, Knew victim:

“It tore me up, it really hurt me. The guy, he didn’t hurt nobody. All he was trying to do was get on his feet.”

Since Shultz had found some safety recently living in tent city, activist Bruce Wright is critical of the mayor for clearing out the encampment.

Rev. Bruce Wright, Homeless advocate:

“Both of them would have benefited and one of them did from the security of the tent city and now you have a whole group of homeless that are wondering who’s next.”