HARTFORD, Conn — Ten days into 2022 and the City of Hartford has had five shootings so far, one of those involved a 16-year-old who was shot early Monday morning.
The Hartford Police Department explained that while shootings are tragic incidents, this year's numbers are consistent with years past.
"2020 we topped off at 211 non-fatal shootings, which is very high," explained Lt. Aaron Boisvert with Hartford Police Department. "Last year, we ended with 153, which is down almost 50."
Those statistics are the drive behind community and faith leaders' commitment to ending gun violence in Hartford in the new year.
"We've been facing this stuff for years, and now we are tired of it, and then you start the year off with five shootings, and it's January 10; it just doesn't make no sense," passionately explained Faith leader and advocate, Reverend Henry Brown.
Rev. Brown said enough is enough, and it's time for an actual change.
"We want to see more collaboration from everybody, stressed Rev. Brown. "Not just people in the community but state-wide."
He called on city, state, and community leaders to unite. He said teamwork on all fronts would be vital in making a difference.
"There are things inside of the community that has to be addressed, and the only way we can do that we have to have collaboration," explained Rev. Brown. "People have to be on the same page. You know, don't talk about it, be about it."
This is precisely what Mothers United Against Violence (MUAV) has planned for 2022.
"We are going to collaborate with different organizations that are working to help prevent the violence and a particular violence and also to get the parents involved," explained Henrietta Beckman, president of MUAV.
Something Beckman said is crucial now more than ever.
"We don't want to see our children being shot and the violence to continue in our neighborhood," explained Beckman.
Despite the Capital city's shooing numbers being steady with years past, Hartford police explained that they're also working to lower them, so the department implemented a shooting team established in spring 2021.
"That now consists of six full-time detectives to investigate just non-fatal shootings," explained Lt. Boisvert. "Since the inception of that team, our shooting arrests have been up 147%, and that's quite a big number. So, there's a lot of work that those guys are doing."
Crime Stoppers Tip Line (860-722-TIPS) is a 24 hour /7-day anonymous tip hotline for people who have information on any criminal acts.
Raquel Harrington is the race and culture reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at rharrington@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
---
Have a story idea or something on your mind you want to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at newstips@fox61.com
---
HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET FOX61 NEWS
Download the FOX61 News APP
iTunes: Click here to download
Google Play: Click here to download
Stream Live on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching FOX61.
Steam Live on FIRE TV: Search ‘FOX61’ and click ‘Get’ to download.