The residents of the newly gentrified Orchard Gardens, formerly Orchard Park in Roxbury, are beginning to realize that the $50 million it took to turn their crumbling public housing project into what it is today is not enough to protect them from old habits.

Three residents were shot Saturday night, including a 68-year-old grandmother. All victims are expected to recover.

The community’s newest problem is that residents, especially women, are terrified to live in Orchard Park. The Department of Housing and Urban Development no longer provides funding for police in any of the Boston Housing Projects. According to the Boston Globe, in 62 developments across the city, there are only 26 police officers.

Orchard Park has long been associated with gang violence. The rebuilding of the development in 1999 provided a clean slate for the dangerous neighborhood. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long.

The three residents who were shot were not the intended targets, which is a relief. Although no arrests have been made and no suspects named, this is thought to be the work of ex-convicts’ returning to the area they once controlled. Thankfully, everyone will be OK, but what if next time,we’re not so lucky?

Random violence is almost more horrifying than intended violence, because the victims can be anyone. People get caught in the crossfire all the time, accounting for some of the city’s most famous homicides in the ’80s and ’90s. Two young kids were killed in 1991 in Orchard Park when they were caught between two gangs. It happened then and it could easily happen now.

While many students feel safe on Northeastern’s campus, myself included, we cannot forget that these are our neighboring communities. The constant sirens we hear on the outskirts of campus should be reminder enough.

Roxbury is not far away and we can’t just hide behind our books and think that everything is OK.

– Chelsea Reil is a sophomore journalism and Spanish major.