I've lived in many cities in Europe, Asia, and the US. Richmond is the most dangerous I've lived in with random shooting, muggings, vehicular break-ins, assaults, etc.. The folks saying 'It's just like any other city' really don't understand how bad it is here. The random crime (there 'is' a good deal of random crime) and feelings of danger is palpable and real. This may not be soothing to your anxiety, but I'm not going to bullshit you and give you a false sense of security.