COLUMBUS (WCMH) – The abduction and murder of a young woman has made a Short North safety escort service expand its boundaries.

As a waitress working at Bodega Cafe in the Short North, 21-year-old Reagan Tokes typically parked one to two blocks away. Other employees say Tokes usually asked one of the bartenders to walk her to her car at the end of her shift. They say she did not do that the night she was abducted and murdered earlier this month.

The incident has caused businesses, visitors and Short North residents like Libby Bates to reflect on the issue of safety.

“I really did feel pretty safe, but then hearing what happened to her, knowing how close she was to my age, how many times I’ve been in that situation walking out of a bar by myself – it did make me question my safety a little bit,” Bates said.

Short North Ambassadors have long been available to accompany employees or visitors to their cars along High Street. There are typically two or three ambassadors working during the daytime and evening hours. They perform a variety of functions intended to make the area look and feel welcoming and safe.

But Betsy Pandora, executive director of the Short North Alliance says the Reagan Tokes murder has caused that group consider what could be done differently.

“So, effective immediately, we’re providing that safety escort up to two blocks off of High Street for an employee or a visitor who may be on High Street and looking for a safety escort,” Pandora said.

While High Street is the heart of the district, much of the available parking is a block or two away.

“We think expansion of those boundaries helps better connect people to those places where they’re going when they come to visit the Short North and, in general, helps people have an improved sense of safety when they’re here in the district,” Pandora said.

The ambassador service is available to employees or visitors by calling the Short North Ambassador Hotline at 614-636-5100.