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A short time ago, noises started across the street from my room. A loud crash, which I have since found out was a huge picture and frame being thrown from a window. Then some yelling, then very loud and repeated yells of "I'll f******* kill you!" My curtains were closed but I peeked out and saw their curtains closed. I turned off my light (I hate feeling conspicuous) and knocked on my next-room neighbour's door, and at that point their curtains were open (who knows?). They still looked pretty agitated, and worst-case, one person was choking another on the floor, but no way to tell for sure - and I really, really hope it was nothing.
We called the cops. I'm pretty freaked out and kinda scared, because if it was something serious, I don't really want to be involved and exposed. Also, I do NOT want to have witnessed anything worse than a brawl. Also, I'm freaked that the neighbours might have seen me watching and be mad.
I guess it's easy to be critical of people who ignore situations. But now having had to make that choice, I understand the hesitation a bit better. What if it WAS nothing? Please God, let it have been nothing.
Edit: The cops just drove off. Hopefully nothing. Yeah.
Posts: 2849 | Registered: Feb 2002
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I would have totally called the cops if I were in your position. I might have done so with the crash, but the quote definitely would have gotten a phone in my hand fast.
Posts: 4515 | Registered: Jul 2004
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I think calling the cops was a very good thing. Too many negative what ifs if you don't. And it is unlikely that they'll ever know who called the cops on them.
Posts: 2223 | Registered: Mar 2008
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I couldn't see anything of the crash, though I looked. There's a balcony which obscures the view from my window. I have no idea if I'll sleep tonight. I'm so paranoid they'll know it was me and... I don't know. Do something.
Posts: 2849 | Registered: Feb 2002
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Having heard a huge crash and loud fighting, they were at the very least disturbing the peace. You did right.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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You definitely did right calling the police. For whatever external support is worth, you should put doubts on that question entirely out of your mind.
The thing to remember is that even if they were rehearsing some bizarre play or something, you should still have called the cops. That sort of decision shouldn't be based on the outcome, but rather what you know going in.
Posts: 17164 | Registered: Jun 2001
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I had a similar situation a while ago, but I honestly had no idea which apartment the offending people were in, and I couldn't figure out how to find out without drawing too much attention to myself. I did call the cops, but by that point the people had quieted down and it wasn't at all clear where the problem came from.
It was a frustrating and anticlimactic experience.
Posts: 4136 | Registered: Aug 2008
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I'm guessing the police department doesn't mind you calling 911 as long as you had reason to believe that a crime was taking place.
Posts: 1327 | Registered: Aug 2007
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Keep in mind that you have lots of neighbors and the fight was loud. Any of them could have called the police. Your neighbors shouldn't have reason to believe it was you. Of course, if the fighting neighbors are also on hatrack...
Posts: 2223 | Registered: Mar 2008
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I've called the cops in a similar situation, but I couldn't hear distinct words. There would have been no hesitation with that quote.
Posts: 2907 | Registered: Nov 2005
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Well, thanks guys. I've moved from being terrified to feeling bad I didn't do more, or call sooner. Apparently no one else could make out the threats, but I definitely heard them. My next-room-neighbour has a bad feeling someone got raped last night, I'm still worried about someone being strangled, and everyone is confused about the logistics of throwing that huge picture and frame onto the street (it would have to be thrown, hard, not just dropped - and who pauses in a violent dispute to open the window and throw a picture frame out it?).
I'll probably never find out what happened. I suspect I'd rather not.
Posts: 2849 | Registered: Feb 2002
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