NEW HAVEN, Conn. — As the shootings and homicides mount in New Haven, city officials will be seeking the public's input Friday night for potential solutions to this crisis.
The Elm City has now totaled 22 homicides for the year, which is already two more than all of 2020. Three of this year's homicides have occurred over the last four days.
The latest fatal shooting happened Wednesday evening on Newhall Street, where a 27-year-old man was killed just hours after the Mayor had addressed the media on the persistent violence again.
Just after 8 p.m., Trequon Lawrence was pulling out of his driveway when the city's Shotspotter system detected 10 gunshots. Lawrence was struck by gunfire and crashed into a utility pole, as he was trying to get away.
"Of these let’s just say these five in this cluster that we just saw this past weekend into last night we do not have anything right now to say that one is connected to the other," New Haven Police Chief Renee Dominguez said.
Mayor Justin Elicker (D-New Haven) says an explosion in the number of guns purchased might be one of many contributing factors to the rise in violent crime.
"Last year it was 92 guns seized and 109 gun arrests, and this year it’s 140 guns seized and 135 gun arrests," Elicker noted.
The Lawrence family told FOX61 his shooting was not gang-related and that he was a good, responsible young man.
"It was scary," Tanya Rodriguez, who lives a half block from the shooting scene said. "It was like six or eight gunshots and my babies were in the house and the windows are on the side of the road so it’s very scary."
The pandemic, with people losing jobs and loved ones due to COVID-19 has certainly contributed to growing mental health issues, the mayor says.
"And because there are all these different issues going on at the same time it makes it more challenging for us to address it," Elicker said.
Friday evening at 6 p.m., the mayor and police chief will be among those hosting a community forum at the FAME Academy in Fair Haven. All residents are encouraged to attend.
"We are also going to be meeting with pastors and religious leaders and faith leaders as well to talk about more ways that we can work together," Elicker added.
Have a story idea or something on your mind you want to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at newsteam@fox61.com
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