Gun violence claimed one person’s life and left five others injured Wednesday night in Cincinnati, five weeks after police Chief Eliot Isaac’s promise to tamp down on gun violence in the wake of a fatal July 4 shooting.
RELATED: Police: 16-year-old, 19-year-old killed in July 4 shooting had attacked each other
What’s changed since then? Police and city leaders said they feel they’re making progress despite the city’s shocking Wednesday night.
Sgt. Dan Hils, who leads the local law enforcement union, the Fraternal Order of Police, said he knows the public’s first question when gun violence is a major story: “What is the police department doing?”
He said the Cincinnati Police Department has increased weekend patrols in areas with more shootings and focused especially on felons illegally carrying guns.
“So far this year, the Cincinnati police have already confiscated about 1,000 guns,” he said. “We’re talking about guns that are being carried illegally.”
RELATED: Neighborhoods continue to search for solutions for recent youth gun violence
Councilmember Betsy Sundermann believes public meetings have helped city officials reconnect with leaders in the community, creating relationships that could lead to more trust and collaborative solutions that stop crime before it starts.
“Two things are coming out of the meetings,” she said. “One is that we’re building a network of the people in the community who can help solve the crimes and help reduce the crime, and two, I’m getting a list of ideas for where we can allocate funding from City Hall.”
