Due to an incident in which a guest fired shots into the air during the early hours of March 21, Aspen Heights is taking steps to ensure the safety of its residents. 
Tyler Sloan and Erin Standifer, Aspen Heights residents, said the property was already filled with people due to parties and a lack of security the night of March 20 leading into the early morning hours of the 21st.  
“Most of the parties ended around 12:30 a.m., but around 2 a.m. I was woken up by a loud popping noise,” said Sloan. “I knew immediately they were gunshots.” 
Standifer said within 20 minutes the police arrived. 
“The next day we saw a lot of other residents posting on social media sites about how unsafe they felt inside Aspen Heights,” Standifer said.  
In light of the incident, Aspen Heights has attempted to step up security by placing guards at each gate between the hours of 6 p.m. and 4 a.m., as well as having each guest sign in upon entrance to the property. 
Aspen Heights is also placing spike strips in front of  exit gates to prevent unwelcomed guests from entering the property.
Aspen Heights has also set new regulations concerning the number of guests allowed in each home. If a resident is found hosting more than ten guests at any given time, all guests will be asked to leave the property. 
“The security upgrades make me feel more safe,” Standifer said. “I  appreciate their efforts in trying to make this a safe neighborhood for their residents.”
Oktibbeha County Sheriff Steve Gladney said the majority of the arrests at Aspen Heights have been related to drugs and alcohol, and since the security increase there have been fewer arrests.
“We’ve spent a lot of time out there the last two weekends, and the reports I get back from the deputies are that it’s been reasonably quiet out there,” Gladney said. 
Stuart Watkins, Director of public relations for the Aspen Heights Corporation, said Aspen Heights is working with local law enforcement to provide solutions to undesirable behavioral trends on the property.
“Aspen Heights is seeking Starkville police officers to live on-site,” Watkins said. 
Before signing a lease with Aspen Heights, every potential resident must pass a background check. 
“Any felony charge resulting in conviction will conclude in the denial of the application,” Watkins said. 
Potential residents may also be subject to denial of the application due to misdemeanors such as convictions in the past seven years involving crimes against persons or property that are related to gangs, drugs, theft, prostitution, sexual assault, cruelty to animals, terrorism or crimes violent in nature; or any three misdemeanors at once.
Three or more DUI charges in the past seven years will also result in an automatic denial.
“As a new community in Starkville, we are committed to making adjustments that are necessary to providing a positive living experience for our residents,” Watkins said.