Video: City Leaders Weigh In On Homicides In The Friendly City

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Earlier this week, we reported on a rise in homicides in the city of Columbus.

On Thursday, a press conference was held to discuss the matter.

“We are out there, and that we do care. It affects me very much so. I have young sons that are here in Columbus, and this going on in this city upsets me very much so being in law enforcement, and not being able to do anything about it.”

Off the top, Police Chief Oscar Lewis confirms there have been eight homicides in the city this year, and he takes every one of them personally.

The city and the police department held the press conference to discuss the homicides, and to address concerns about safety within the community.

“Putting their fears to rest comes with the community getting involved, taking back their neighborhoods, letting us help you do that, letting us lead the fight. You getting behind us, we’ll push forward. We’ll deal with these bad guys with the bad elements in the community, but we’ve got to have you behind us.” says CPD Investigations Commander Captain Brett Swan.

Out of the eight homicides, four remain unsolved, including one from October, where a man was found shot to death in his home.

“When we’re talking about pending investigations, just because the arrest has not been made, doesn’t mean we don’t have suspects, we don’t have information coming forward, just as we talked earlier, informing information, crime stopper information, all of that stuff is accessed, all of that stuff is put together,” says Swan.

Chief Lewis says they’re still trying to piece together individual cases, and working to determine if there are any connections among any of them, but he did say this.

“I really don’t think it’s gang. I think people are running together in these circles and are associated together, but as far as just saying they’re gangs, I mean, I really haven’t seen that.”

Mayor Robert Smith says city leaders are just as concerned as the citizens are about the violent crimes, and it’s going to take the community and police working together in order to solve and stop the crimes.

“The citizens can say that it’s weak leadership from the police department, not doing what they’re supposed to do, but the officers, the chief, and the patrolmen within the police department are not committing the crime, the elected officials are not committing the crime, and that’s going to take the parents out there stepping up to the plate.”

Next Tuesday, officials will be discussing hiring six new police officers at the city council meeting.