Chip Hunt/Screenshot via Inspire Amarillo
Crime is an issue that is on the minds of many voters, but for one Amarillo City Council candidate, the issue is personal, thanks to an attempted robbery in her store last summer.
Last April, Chip Hunt was violently attacked by an intruder while opening her antique store on historic 6th Street in Amarillo one morning. According to Hunt, she was pushed to the ground and violently attacked during an attempted robbery.
While the criminal didn’t make off with any cash or goods, Hunt said he broke merchandise in the store that he hit her with and left her bleeding and calling for help in the back of her shop.
Following the attack, Hunt was left hospitalized and fighting for her life. While she was ultimately discharged from the hospital, she continued going in and out of hospitals and doctors’ offices for months following the attack, dealing with the physical impacts of the crime. While such an event might have caused some to shut their store and retire, Hunt wouldn’t give up. She eventually made a full recovery and is back running her store on 6th Street, unafraid to face what the world has to throw at her.
So, why did Hunt return to her shop on 6th Street, even despite the crime she faced? As she tells it, she was inspired to return, thanks to her vendors and customers.
“I have 35 to 45 vendors and small businesses in my store that are dependent on me being here,” Hunt said. “I’m not going to let anything keep me down from running this store and delivering for the vendors and customers who are counting on me.”
While Hunt got back to work, she began to feel concerned about the impacts of crime throughout the city. Hunt noted that rising crime rates and concerns about residents feeling safe in their own shops and homes spurred her on to run for City Council. Hunt added that due to her personal connection to the issue as a victim of violent crime, she felt like she could be a voice for those who need an advocate for public safety in Amarillo.
“It made it personal for me because of the intensity of the crime. I’ve lived here for over 30 years and for something like this to happen, it made me realize just how important it was that I stepped up and did something to improve our city and prevent others from facing the same kind of crime that I did.”
Hunt’s jump into politics wasn’t new for her, as she had previously run as a Republican for justice of the peace in Potter County in the 1990s, while she and her husband were heavily involved in the party. However, Hunt said she decided to run in hopes of making Amarillo a safer place to live, work, and visit for everyone who spends time in the city.
“People need to feel safe coming in and out of stores, employees need to feel safe working at their jobs, and tourists need to feel safe being here,” Hunt said.
For more information about Chip Hunt’s campaign, visit www.chipforamarillo.com.