Banning residents voice concerns over alleged inmate drop-offs, recent attacks
BANNING, Calif. (KESQ) - Concerns are growing in Banning after residents say individuals recently released from prison are being dropped off at a local bus stop, raising concerns about safety and transparency.
The bus stop, located behind a shopping center, has become the focal point of the controversy. Teresa Craig, who owns a nearby estate sale store, said she regularly witnesses groups of people being dropped off from unmarked white vans.
“We would see it literally every day — anywhere from three to seven people,” Craig said. “They all come out with their bags. They’re supposed to get on the bus and leave, but they don’t.”
Craig and others say the concern is not just about the drop-offs themselves, but what happens afterward.
Craig recounted a frightening encounter at a nearby gas station, where she says she was attacked by someone she believes had been dropped off in the area.
“When I tried to get in my car, she opened the door,” Craig said. “I was just trying to protect myself.”
Another resident, Alan Ronska, described a separate incident that left him shaken.
“A couple years back, I had an altercation with one of them,” Ronska said. “They came over screaming and yelling, and I had to fend him off.”
Ronska added that the situation has changed daily life for residents, particularly those in a nearby senior living community.
“We used to walk over here in the evenings or take golf carts to go shopping or get ice cream,” he said. “Now we have to pass by where the parolees are dropped off.”
Residents say they want officials to reconsider the location of the drop-offs.
City officials acknowledge the issue. In a statement, Banning Mayor Richard Royce said the city is aware of residents’ concerns and is working with local law enforcement and jail officials to address them.
Meanwhile, community members have launched a petition. Organizers say it has already gathered more than 400 signatures.
Residents say they will continue pushing for action until a solution is found.
Stay with News Channel 3 for more.
