Pensacola Neighborhood "Held Hostage"

Katoshia Steele says she heard the gunshots Thursday morning, shots the young mother says were too close for comfort.

"If I don't hear gunshots, it's not normal anymore," says Steele. "I want to live peacefully, but that's jsut how it's been for the past year."

Since Monday, the Pensacola Police Department has responded to five drive-by shootings. Three of them happened within a three block radius along North Tarragona Street. One of the shootings happened across the street from a church.

"Scary. Frightening. You can't even sit outside anymore," says Bertha Jones who says she feels like a hostage in her own neighborhood.

Police have vowed to take back the streets from the criminals. Streets that, for now, are no longer safe. Officers have increased patrols along Tarragona Street and say a police prescence there is their top priority.

A 29-year old man was hit the arm during one of the drive-by shootings. Investigators have made several arrests. Detectives believe the shootings were drug related.