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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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'Black community on edge;' Grand Rapids police chief 'very concerned' by killings
By John Agar | jagar@mlive.com
on January 11, 2013 at 6:30 AM, updated January 11, 2013 at 9:44 AM
GRAND RAPIDS, MI – After eight homicides in less than a month, Grand Rapids police have stepped up patrols in “hot spot areas,” worked to get illegal guns off the street and kept Major Case Team detectives working overtime.
Police are conducting surveillance in troubled areas – recently witnessing a man firing a gun into the air.
“Obviously, we’re very concerned about the significant increase in violent episodes over the last month,” Grand Rapids Police Chief Kevin Belk said this week.
“Our hearts go out to the many families involved in these incidents.”
Belk, area clergy and community leaders have scheduled a 9:30 a.m. press conference for Friday, Jan. 11, to discuss the spike in fatal shootings. They plan to discuss discuss "strategies and solutions to help end the wave of violence that has afflicted the city."
Related: 'All around the hood, ain't nobody safe,' says friend of Grand Rapids teen shot at Southeast Side home.
Belk said police have no indication to suspect that killings were retaliation for previous slayings. But the homicides have heightened concerns for those living in the area where the violence has occurred.
“We don’t see this as a progression, as a series of events. There’s no indication one is in retaliation of another,” he said.
Four of the deaths are essentially solved, but still require investigation. The Dec. 17 double homicide and suicide at a counseling center near Ball Avenue NE and Leonard Street, and a woman who admitted shooting her boyfriend on Christmas at a house on Leonard Street NE are still on detectives' caseload despite authorities largely knowing what happened.
Others, however, remain unsolved.
Greg Woods
In the most recent victim, Greg Woods, 19, was shot and killed on Tuesday, Jan. 8. He was shot while answering a knock at the door at his home on Neland Avenue SE.
Then, there’s the Dec. 14 killing of Roybin Griggs, 47, on Prince Street SE, the Dec. 15 killing of Evevana Galloway, 20, on Dorchester Avenue SW, the Dec. 20 killing of Madhi Hayes, also near Prince Street SE, and the Dec. 29 killing of Jason Cherry, 34, on Dickinson Street SE.
James Williamson, a counselor at Jubilee Jobs, said the violence affects everyone in the inner city. He is concerned about the impact on children, a concern raised by those living in troubled neighborhoods.
Related: Neighbor worries kids are 'desensitized' by gun violence after man shot to death on Neland Avenue
“This probability of continuing homicides has, in particular, the black community on edge,” Williamson said.
“What is really troubling about the homicides/murders that have happened within the inner city is that they seem to be ongoing. … I am wondering: Will we start seeing the evidence of post-traumatic stress syndrome, mainly associated with Vietnam vets, manifest itself among our youth and young adults? Is the spirit of violence contagious, and is it a problem nationwide?”
Williamson said he served on the Ohio Commission on African American Males from 1993-1995. The commission had bi-partisan support, and “had received departmental status from the state to continue to make inroads on the issues of black male violence via addressing the social issues that contribute to the problems.”
Williamson said the community has to address violence.
There were 18 homicides last year. Seven occurred in December, which isn’t typical, police said.
Belk said police are aggressively investigating the killings. Some of the victims have gang ties, which could be behind some of the violence.
But Belk said evidence is “not pointing to one individual, or even groups.”
Police are working with an assistant Kent County prosecutor who can use investigative subpoenas to compel testify under the threat of incarceration. Police are also working with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on the street-level crimes.
On the street, police are looking for illegal guns.
Police are running into resistance from some potential witnesses.
“The level of cooperation is not great,” Belk said. “The truth is, we do need people to assist us and cooperate. Call police, Major Case, or Silent Observer, either with direct knowledge or knowledge of someone else who knows what happened.”
Belk said that officers on the street are helping.
“Our officers are out in the area doing a great job, making stops, recovering guns. We’ve got a significant amount of patrols."
But, he added: "I'm extremely concerned."
Anyone with information is asked to call Grand Rapids police at 456-3604 or Silent Observer at 774-2345.
E-mail John Agar: jagar@mlive.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/grpressagar |
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Fri Jan 11, 2013 10:11 am |
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Dave Starr
F L I N T O I D
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| It's nice that they have enough officers for stepped up patrols in the hot areas, unlike some cities I can think of. |
_________________
I used to care, but I take a pill for that now.
Pushing buttons sure can be fun.
When a lion wants to go somewhere, he doesn’t worry about how many hyenas are in the way.
Paddle faster, I hear banjos. |
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Fri Jan 11, 2013 10:56 am |
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