KELOLAND.com

Neighbor: SWAT raid ‘a scary sight’

SIOUX FALLS, SD (KELO) — People in a central Sioux Falls neighborhood are shaken, but relieved, that a weekend raid by the SWAT team led to the arrest of three murder suspects. The three teenagers are charged in the killing of Paul Billion back in August. The neighbors watched as SWAT team members took their positions.

When the SWAT team comes calling, it gets everyone’s attention in the neighborhood.

“It’s a scary sight. There was probably, I don’t know, 15 or 20 of them all standing there in their gear, armored and guns and SWAT vehicles, it’s a scary sight to see,” next-door neighbor Lexi Kelly said.

Lexi Kelly lives right next door to the home that officers raided.

“I’ve got a young daughter inside, so made sure all the curtains were closed, she didn’t need to be part of it,” Kelly said.

Melissa Janzen lives just two doors down. She went out to get her mail Saturday when she encountered one of the officers.

“I was shook a bit. I kind of stood there. Didn’t know what was going on and that’s when he instructed me to go back in,” Janzen said.

People here are glad that the SWAT response ended peacefully and that the suspects are in custody. But an incident that brings in officers with their guns drawn can be quite unnerving to them.

“We saw some up here. There were actually 2 posted behind my boyfriend’s truck that was in the driveway and there were maybe a half-dozen guys who were in our backyard neighbor’s, kitty-corner. It was interesting. Never seen that before,” Janzen said.

After all the excitement from the weekend, the neighborhood is quiet again. Just the way the people here like it.

“I guess we’ll see how much normal is now, with all that going on,” Kelly said.

Melissa Janzen has lived in the Hawthorne Avenue neighborhood for 14 years. She likes that it’s close to 41st Street businesses, yet still maintains its homey feel.