Business Owners Say Crime Coming Too Close

Some, they say, even sleep beneath the Boylan Avenue bridge where thebody was found, and where another body was found last year.

The businesses which border the nearby railroad tracks have spent a lotof time and money renovating their buildings and the neighborhood'simage, but they say this recent violence is hitting too close to home.

Hundreds of people cross the Boylan Street bridge everyday, but fewknow about the world that exists beneath it.

Police say Francisco Carrasco Guitierrez, 29, was shot and killed nearthe train tracks. His body was found about 5 a.m. Monday. Guitierrez hadbeen in Raleigh about six months and lived off Avent Ferry Road untilabout two weeks ago, police said.

People who live and work here say the tracks attract a dangerous element.

Bordering the tracks are several warehouses which have been convertedinto art studios. The artists want to co-exist with the urbancommunity, but not at the risk of their safety.

One art studio did get into trouble. It was burglarized, so the ownerserected a fence to prevent people from cutting through their property onthe way to and from the tracks.

This isn't the first murder near the train tracks in Raleigh. Last July,the body of Dawn Grandy was found under the Morgan Street bridge. Raleighpolice say there are quite a few calls to areas around the train tracks,but no more than they get in other areas around the city.

Amanda Lamb reporting