A young family who recently moved to Chickasaw is facing a difficult decision. They say crime has gotten out of hand in the city, forcing them to consider leaving.
"When I actually seen the fire from the gun coming it really like terrified me, and I have trauma from it because I was terrified for my baby's life," said Amber Gillespie, a Chickasaw resident.
Amber Gillespie and her family have major concerns about their safety and the well-being of their baby.
"I just want a safe environment for my baby, to be able to go outside and not have to worry about being shot," said Gillespie.
Since their move to Chickasaw in October the family has dealt with the traumatizing death of her cousin Triston Bohannon, who was killed in broad daylight at Paul Devine Park. Also a shooting two streets over where 21-year-old Kimberly Robles was shot and killed. To add on top she says gunfire continues to go off in her neighborhood.
"Thought maybe it has gotten better since when I was younger but since everything with my house like why, why would I even want to stay here anymore," she said, "My neighbor, somebody had walked up on him and tried to shoot him and I had pulled up on it and it really upset me because I had my baby in the back seat and they just started shooting at each other and I didn't know what to do or how to get her baby inside."
But what hit too close to home...a bullet hole, that struck their house on New Year's Eve night.
"My bedroom is in the front of the house and I never know when a bullet is going to come in," said Gillespie, "I had dogs and stuff that could have been killed by the bullet, so I'm just glad that they weren't here."
They want to move away, but they say their landlord wants them to pay 3 months' rent to break their lease. The situation has left the family feeling helpless and frustrated, as they struggle to find a solution to their difficult predicament.
"I want to get out of here but as of right now I do not have the money to get out," she said.
The family says they are working to get legal help and in the meantime sleeping with one eye open.