GREENSBORO, N.C — After three deaths from unrelated shootings, in just 24 hours, community members and leaders say enough is enough.
The first shooting was around 11:00am Monday on Florida Street and Freeman Mill Road. Someone shot and killed 36-year-old Darren Herbin. Police have limited identification of the suspects in all the incidents but say they were all African-American males.
Around 4 pm Monday police found two people shot in an apartment on Cone Boulevard. One person died while the condition of the other person is still critical.
Monday evening around 7:30 p.m. officers responded to a shots fired call on Sumner Ridge Lane and found Michael Jaytuan Ingram with gunshot wounds. He was taken to the hospital with critical injuries. Police say he died the next day.
Gun crimes have increased in Greensboro over the last three years. The Greensboro Police Department (GPD) reported more than 1400 cases last year. They also reported 33 incidents this month involving a gun and injuries.
The total number of homicides in the city so far stands at 18 and 10 of those are unsolved. This statistic is why one group says they want to cure the violence.
The frustrated community members say current policing methods are not effective and are demanding city leaders look to what big cities like Chicago, New York, and Baltimore are doing. They gathered at the Prestige Barber college to state their case for change in policing. One recommendation they have suggested is a model called 'Cure Violence'.
The 'Cure Violence' model was created by healthcare professionals and it treats violence the same way an epidemic of a contagious disease would be treated. The approach includes trying to prevent the disease of violence and if that doesn't work stop the violence from spreading through the help of what they call Violence Interrupters in the community.
According to the Cure Violence Program's website, Violence Interrupters are people who are well known and respected in the community who become credible messengers for peace and safety in their neighborhood.
"We have to start dealing with the mindset that is causing violence. The police are going to react to violence so it is not their job. We have to have health programs that are really going to deal with the mindset of these people committing this violence," said Gene Blackmon, the director of Prestige Barber College.
"It helped Chicago, Greensboro is not as bad as Chicago," said Starmecca Parham, one of the members of the group. Parham has been affected by gun violence. She says it has gotten so bad in the city that it has nearly wiped out half of her family.
"If you look at our crime rates it has skyrocketed, it has skyrocketed so bad that I lost three brothers in a row," said Parham.
Greensboro Police Chief Wayne Scott says the rising trend of violence is a concern beyond just Greensboro.
"Over the last couple of years we have seen nationally an increase in violent crime, while Greensboro has been proactive in trying to lessen that effect," said Chief Scott. The police chief said he is very familiar with the 'Cure Violence' program and it is a recommendation he welcomed.
He added that he supports any program that would help curb violence. The program's teams are gathering data points for a final assessment. The outcome will determine the next steps and if elected city officials will give it a green light.
"As part of a holistic plan to reduce violence in the City of Greensboro, the police department and me, as the police chief, I accept anyone who is willing to help us with that. I am anxious to see what the results are," concluded Chief Scott.
Police are encouraging anyone with information about these recent homicides and any other unsolved homicides to contact Crime Stoppers.