Is Downtown Yakima Safe? [VIDEO]

As a virtually lifelong resident of Yakima, I'm surprised by the number of locals who have voiced that downtown Yakima is unsafe and residents are afraid to go there.

I decided to roll video on my phone last night when returning to my vehicle (which was parked a whopping one and a half blocks from the event I had attended earlier in the evening!) to document whether or not the area is, indeed, overrun by "gang bangers," "meth heads," drive-by shooters and other unsavory elements of society that are looking to do nothing more than harm me.

What I witnessed may surprise you.