Roanoke’s efforts to address gun violence and its root causes has been yielding results, but city leaders admit it has not ended the problem.
There have been 40 instances of a person hit by gunfire in the city so far this year.
At a news conference Tuesday evening, Mayor Sherman Lea pointed out the community’s successes and also some of the remaining challenges. "One of those challenges has been the inability to secure information from those that know something about the recent shootings," Lea said. "Understandably they have concerns, but people must not be allowed to get away with shooting and harming and killing others."
Lea announced the city has dedicated $50,000 to a newly created reward fund to help solve gun-related crimes. Police Chief Sam Roman said investigators will use the reward fund as incentive to get better information. Roman said the department is taking an offender-based approach that focuses on individuals and avoids a reaction against neighborhoods or communities.
Lea, Roman and others emphasized that a solving the spike in violence will require community action and involvement.
The city’sgun violence prevention commission has received several grants to better understand and address the root causes of gun violence. About $25,000 will be designated for a youth and gang community assessment study. An even larger portion of a $500,000 state grant will fund three three youth outreach and gang prevention positions. Those positions are in the hiring process right now. The commission has also awarded numerous microgrants to community organizations for programs that address root causes like poverty, food access and job training. Commission chair and vice-mayor Joe Cobb described the efforts as ways "to move families from surviving to thriving."
The city’s NAACP chapter is organizing a gun buy-back event to be held later this month.
