Madison Rue and Stacy Caywood, of Cleveland, said they used to go 20 miles southwest to Chattanooga and Hamilton Place mall often to shop.
Recently, though, Caywood said her husband tells them to avoid the area. When he had a doctor’s appointment downtown, Caywood suggested they hang out and rent some bikes while they were there.
“He said, ‘Yeah, and you’re going to get shot during the process,'” Caywood said Friday in an interview at Hamilton Place. “But I mean, I think our world’s got to where you take a chance at that anywhere, really.”
(READ MORE: Conservative think tank polls Chattanoogans on perception of public safety)