Top Five Dangerous ZIP Codes in Marion County
In a sobering revelation from the Marion County Coroner’s Office annual report, five ZIP codes have been identified as the most perilous areas in the county. The report highlights that ZIP code 46218 witnessed 35 homicides involving firearms in 2023 followed by 20 homicides each in 46226 and 46235, 18 in 46201, and 12 in 46208. These figures account for nearly half—47%—of the total homicides in the county for the year underscoring the critical state of violence in these communities.
The Faces Behind the Numbers
Behind these stark statistics are real individuals whose lives have been irreversibly affected. Sixteen-year-old Reese Hamilton, a resident of the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood within one of these high-risk ZIP codes, has firsthand experience of the violence. For Hamilton, stepping outside his home feels like entering a war zone. “Sometimes you might have to get on the ground, or get up under the bed because you hear the bullets so close,” he shared painting a harrowing picture of his daily reality.
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(photo: WISH-TV)
A Childhood Marked by Violence
Hamilton’s exposure to violence began at a young age. He recalls a traumatic incident when a family friend was murdered just three doors away from his home leaving gruesome evidence of the crime. “It was just brain matter all over the walls blood everywhere and he had been dragged down the street,” Hamilton recounted. That same year, his uncle was also shot on the same street. These experiences left a profound impact on Hamilton, prompting him to question the normalization of violence and seek change.
Taking Action for Change
At eight years old, Hamilton’s frustration and desire for a safer environment led him to write a heartfelt letter to the mayor. He expressed his need for help recognizing that change couldn’t be achieved alone. This courageous act sparked a meeting with the mayor and inspired Hamilton to organize a peace walk. “We decided we could do a peace walk and over hundreds of people were there in the streets at 8 o’clock in the morning,” he said reflecting on the overwhelming community support.
A Young Leader for Peace
Since his initial peace walk, Hamilton has become a beacon of hope and leadership in his community. He founded the “Reese’s Blue Ribbon Project,” dedicated to promoting safety and peace in the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood. Over the years he has organized five peace walks and is planning a bike ride for peace in July. Hamilton’s efforts illustrate the power of youth activism and the impact one determined individual can have on addressing community violence, according to the report of Wish TV.
