Go to downtown SanTana during the day–really, go; eat at Memphis and order the Cobra sandwich–and you'll see rent-a-cops standing underneath shade, earning a paycheck for doing goddamn nothing at all. The business owners pay for them, and I've long criticized their choice of having them patrol during the day–it's night when the criminals come out to play in that area. And that's unfortunately what tragically happened last night.
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The Orange County Register is reporting that Irvine resident Jeffrey Lee Chung was murdered yesterday during a failed robbery attempt in the parking structure closest to the downtown SanTana's restaurants, near the corner of Third and Sycamore streets. Chung was apparently bar-hopping, according to the report. Sources tell the Weekly there was a fight at Proof Bar last night, but it's unknown whether this has anything to do with the murder.
Our condolences go out to the loved ones of Chung, for an unnecessary ending to his life. And we implore the people who hire the security guards again: have them on patrol sunset-to-sunrise, and only then. Those businesses have spent so much time and money convincing the rest of Orange County that their district isn't like the rest of SanTana supposedly is–it's a shame to see those efforts get severely hurt with Chung's murder, a reminder eternal vigilance should at least happen in the witching hours, not so much when the sun hangs high.
