As a âone of those white computer hacker looking type people living in a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood, I be-
gan to feel that I was being racially profiled. The local community, already wary of outsiders due to the area’s complex socio-economic dynamics and the ongoing issues with crime and pollution, seemed to view me with suspicion. I often
felt that I was being watched and judged not only for my appearanceâwhat some might describe as a “computer hacker
typeӉbut also for being an outsider in an area closely monitored due to its proximity to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal.
The question “What is he doing around here, near the Arsenal?” seemed to linger in the air, unspoken but palpable.
The strange and unsettling events on Poplar Street were not limited to the shootings. We experienced a series of increas-
ingly bizarre and threatening incidents that suggested we were under some form of surveillance or targeted harassment. One such incident involved a man who approached me while wielding a knife. He fumbled with the blade, asking if I was interested in buying the Gerber knife he was holding. I responded calmly, stating that I wasnât interested, and mentioned that my Kershaw knife was sharper. This interaction, though seemingly minor, was indicative of the growing tension and danger in the area.
Another neighbor casually mentioned that he had “thousands of rounds of ammunition” in his home, a statement that took on a more ominous tone given the recent violence. This, coupled with the mysterious removal of another neighbor’s front doorâan event that echoed the earlier unauthorized entries into our own home further heightened the sense that something was very wrong in our neighborhood.
Additionally, there were unauthorized entries into our home by maintenance staff, echoing the feeling of violation and
the sense that we were under constant watch. These incidents seemed to form a pattern, suggesting that we were being
monitored or even targeted as part of a broader campaign of intimidation.
The convergence of these eventsâindustrial pollution, high crime rates, mysterious shootings, alien encounters, weather
anomalies, racial profiling, and personal harassmentâcreated an atmosphere of fear and suspicion on Poplar Street. It became increasingly clear that our proximity to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal and the industrial complexes of Com-
merce City was not just a physical locationâit was a catalyst for the strange and dangerous experiences that were begin-
ning to define our lives.