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I'd also like to not detract from your story but i'd like to weigh in on people's perspective of Miami. As @ryanwaggoner put it, Miami was most likely the murde

I'd also like to not detract from your story but i'd like to weigh in on people's perspective of Miami. As @ryanwaggoner put it, Miami was most likely the murder capital of the world by certain studies and reports but this has changed so much since the 80's/early 90's. I speak from experience as a Miami resident for over 28 years. I have lived in the most atrocious neighborhoods growing up and attended some notorious schools. Nowadays, these neighborhoods have changed dramatically for the better, although some areas still remain unsafe to roam (sometimes but not entire of Liberty City, Overtown, Carol City) - but by all means Miami has improved so much. Never did I experience what you went thru and I feel sorry you experienced it and that it makes you feel unsafe - I do wish this never happens again to you nor anyone else. Just so you know, I am from the worlds' 3rd murder capital of the world, San Pedro Sula (Honduras), and I would happily live in any part of Miami you put me in (no matter the stories anyone hears) than rather go back to my native city/country from which I have a very high chance of being killed any day.

will_brown 9y ago
I think my statement was clearly a historical point about the city, look at my verbiage. Also, I was born and raised in Miami and have lived here longer than you, including the years Miami was murder capital of the US, yes I wrongly said the world. The idea of Miami being safe is relative, even today, because it still has the highest murder rate in Florida. Moreover, most killings in Miami are not random like the kidnapping that occurred to me, no matter where I go or have ever went in Miami I have always felt safe because even in the worst neighborhoods no one wants a random murder which will bring police unlike say a car burglary because that's bad for business. So for example last night by myself I drove through overtown (one of the neighborhoods you mention as still bad) on my way to wynwood, and I couldn't have felt safer because people either look at me like a potential customer or undercover cop (only because I don't look like the typical wynwood hipster). That said, nothing like this has ever happened to me in Miami and that is the irony/point, because this occurred to me in a small relatively safe beach town/resort area outside of Miami ultimately ending in the 8th safest city in the US. Edit: to put things in perspective, in cocaine cowboys you will see a shooting on the open streets in the middle of the day, that was on 168th I was born on colonial drive/160th street, and also the Dadeland shooting in the middle of the day again about 2 miles from my current house, but to your point today Dadeland is safe and the busiest mall by foot traffic in the US (or it was a few years back).

will_brown 9y ago

I think my statement was clearly a historical point about the city, look at my verbiage. Also, I was born and raised in Miami and have lived here longer than you, including the years Miami was murder capital of the US, yes I wrongly said the world. The idea of Miami being safe is relative, even today, because it still has the highest murder rate in Florida. Moreover, most killings in Miami are not random like the kidnapping that occurred to me, no matter where I go or have ever went in Miami I have always felt safe because even in the worst neighborhoods no one wants a random murder which will bring police unlike say a car burglary because that's bad for business. So for example last night by myself I drove through overtown (one of the neighborhoods you mention as still bad) on my way to wynwood, and I couldn't have felt safer because people either look at me like a potential customer or undercover cop (only because I don't look like the typical wynwood hipster). That said, nothing like this has ever happened to me in Miami and that is the irony/point, because this occurred to me in a small relatively safe beach town/resort area outside of Miami ultimately ending in the 8th safest city in the US. Edit: to put things in perspective, in cocaine cowboys you will see a shooting on the open streets in the middle of the day, that was on 168th I was born on colonial drive/160th street, and also the Dadeland shooting in the middle of the day again about 2 miles from my current house, but to your point today Dadeland is safe and the busiest mall by foot traffic in the US (or it was a few years back).