Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Mixed feelings on campers at Shadow Hill Park

Sheriffs rip up $100 tent in Santee

Shadow Hill Park. "Someone simply trying to live life to its fullest, free, happy."
Shadow Hill Park. "Someone simply trying to live life to its fullest, free, happy."

“Just an FYI … there was a homeless camp in the drainage ditch (by the bridge) at Shadow Hill Park, they were evicted about a week ago,” posted a Santee resident on the Nextdoor app (June 4), “I hate to see this happen at our park! Keep you eyes out!”

Another resident suggested to call the sheriff’s department [because] the park closes at sunset. “But I’m checking the park tonight at 10 just to get my point across,” he said.

Sponsored
Sponsored

The original poster immediately responded “I did call the sheriff, that’s why they were evicted — [I] just want people to be aware of their surrounds [sic].”

“Knight” (aka Afaik Naim on the thread) then responded after about 10 posts. “Just to … respectfully enlighten some people that might be jumping to conclusions; we are not homeless ... get off your high horse and try to talk to people before you jump to conclusions and ruin someone's good image ... that's illegal btw — public defamation.” he said.

A Santee resident stepped up and said “my children have noticed [them] and never been afraid of the homeless; in fact they have often given food to them, which they were thanked for. Homeless people are misunderstood — try kindness.”

A Cottonwood neighbor had a different take, “I understand they don’t have many places to go, but we taxpayers shouldn’t be in fear of letting our children play at the park bc (because) of the homeless invasion. We need to find a solution to it.”

Knight, 25, said he is a naturalist and has worked for NASSCO and Urban Corps. He and his best friend “Rose” try to stay out of sight (for a month before anyone noticed) and set up the tent without being an “eyesore” and it “disturbing the peace.” Sometimes their friends and family visit to chat and relax.

Knight said that he has a home and a “big family” but he’d rather “spend most of my days outdoors [because] we find the serenity of nature to be both beautiful and staggering.”

A direct message (dm) was sent (by the author) to the original poster of the thread and the Cottonwood resident for a statement; as of press time no response was made via dm or on the “Shadow Hill Park” thread.

Knight’s mother, an East County resident, did respond though via dm. “My three boys and my little four-year-old girl are the most respectful, loving, caring kids — and they don’t judge people no matter what they look like. If they see that you might be hungry, they will feed without asking any questions [and] if they see [that] you might be cold, they will take their sweater off to give it to you so … these are the kind of people that ‘these homeless’ are because one of them is my son, which I love with all my heart [heart emoticon].”

“I just hope that the world can see the difference between someone destructive,” Knight said, “and someone simply trying to live life to its fullest, free, happy."

Regarding the sheriff that was called, Knight said that they were let off with a warning. “The sheriff’s attitude itself was cordial and respectful, kind and understanding, however, his words did not match his actions … the police ripped up our ($100) tent when they found it.”

The latest copy of the Reader

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Live Five: Rebecca Jade, Stoney B. Blues, Manzanita Blues, Blame Betty, Marujah

Holiday music, blues, rockabilly, and record releases in Carlsbad, San Carlos, Little Italy, downtown
Next Article

San Diego beaches not that nice to dogs

Bacteria and seawater itself not that great
Shadow Hill Park. "Someone simply trying to live life to its fullest, free, happy."
Shadow Hill Park. "Someone simply trying to live life to its fullest, free, happy."

“Just an FYI … there was a homeless camp in the drainage ditch (by the bridge) at Shadow Hill Park, they were evicted about a week ago,” posted a Santee resident on the Nextdoor app (June 4), “I hate to see this happen at our park! Keep you eyes out!”

Another resident suggested to call the sheriff’s department [because] the park closes at sunset. “But I’m checking the park tonight at 10 just to get my point across,” he said.

Sponsored
Sponsored

The original poster immediately responded “I did call the sheriff, that’s why they were evicted — [I] just want people to be aware of their surrounds [sic].”

“Knight” (aka Afaik Naim on the thread) then responded after about 10 posts. “Just to … respectfully enlighten some people that might be jumping to conclusions; we are not homeless ... get off your high horse and try to talk to people before you jump to conclusions and ruin someone's good image ... that's illegal btw — public defamation.” he said.

A Santee resident stepped up and said “my children have noticed [them] and never been afraid of the homeless; in fact they have often given food to them, which they were thanked for. Homeless people are misunderstood — try kindness.”

A Cottonwood neighbor had a different take, “I understand they don’t have many places to go, but we taxpayers shouldn’t be in fear of letting our children play at the park bc (because) of the homeless invasion. We need to find a solution to it.”

Knight, 25, said he is a naturalist and has worked for NASSCO and Urban Corps. He and his best friend “Rose” try to stay out of sight (for a month before anyone noticed) and set up the tent without being an “eyesore” and it “disturbing the peace.” Sometimes their friends and family visit to chat and relax.

Knight said that he has a home and a “big family” but he’d rather “spend most of my days outdoors [because] we find the serenity of nature to be both beautiful and staggering.”

A direct message (dm) was sent (by the author) to the original poster of the thread and the Cottonwood resident for a statement; as of press time no response was made via dm or on the “Shadow Hill Park” thread.

Knight’s mother, an East County resident, did respond though via dm. “My three boys and my little four-year-old girl are the most respectful, loving, caring kids — and they don’t judge people no matter what they look like. If they see that you might be hungry, they will feed without asking any questions [and] if they see [that] you might be cold, they will take their sweater off to give it to you so … these are the kind of people that ‘these homeless’ are because one of them is my son, which I love with all my heart [heart emoticon].”

“I just hope that the world can see the difference between someone destructive,” Knight said, “and someone simply trying to live life to its fullest, free, happy."

Regarding the sheriff that was called, Knight said that they were let off with a warning. “The sheriff’s attitude itself was cordial and respectful, kind and understanding, however, his words did not match his actions … the police ripped up our ($100) tent when they found it.”

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Houston ex-mayor donates to Toni Atkins governor fund

LGBT fights in common
Next Article

At Comedor Nishi a world of cuisines meet for brunch

A Mexican eatery with Japanese and French influences
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader