ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. — Elizabeth City officials are sounding off in response to the latest round of gun violence to rock the city.
A shooting on Wednesday sent three teenagers to the hospital. It's become a growing trend in Elizabeth City: so far in 2023, police say 10 juveniles and four adults have been shot. One of those adults has died from their injuries.
At a press conference Friday morning, city leaders stressed accountability in tackling crime. They’re looking at parents and are talking to them directly to prevent guns from getting into their children's hands.
“We’re giving the parents the resources that they may need before we put their juveniles in the juvenile system,” said Mayor Kirk Rivers in announcing a new initiative called the Elizabeth City Violence Prevention Program.
Rivers said the city council has allocated funds to support youth programs and is working with several agencies to prevent what he calls chaos in the city. Rivers said the council also recently approved adding 10 new security cameras within the city budget and police are currently discussing where to best place those cameras.
“We are going to use all of the resources because we are tired,” he said
It comes as detectives investigate Wednesday afternoon’s triple shooting on Speed Street that sent two 16-year-olds and a 17-year-old to the hospital. Police said the 17-year-old teen is out of the hospital while the others are still receiving treatment.
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Investigators are searching for suspects in the case and are calling on any witnesses to share what they know. Police Chief Phil Webster said two security cameras sit on Speed Street but he did not say what those cameras captured in reference to the shooting.
Webster said this is a reminder to parents that they are responsible for their children’s actions. He said they too could be charged in connection to a crime their child committed.
“It shows to them that if they didn’t know their kid was involved in something, they know now,” Webster said.
Mayor Rivers said if the city sees another shooting, he will protest on that street for a few days. He said he wants to remind people that city leaders will no longer tolerate violence.
“It’s a new day in the City of Elizabeth City," Rivers said. "And we will make sure that we send out we’re not having it in our city.”
Rivers said city officials are also working with lobbyists to push for House Bill 545. The bill would have made it a felony to willfully or wantonly discharges certain firearms.