Defund the police backfire: Oakland Police Chief calls for 'community action' as violence skyrockets

OAKLAND, CA – Oakland has faced a particularly violent week, with multiple shootings and a deadly hit-and-run incident, prompting the city's police chief to make a public plea for help in curbing the violence.

In the past seven days, Oakland witnessed three separate shootings that resulted in the deaths of five people and left several others injured. Additionally, a hit-and-run claimed the life of a 17-year-old girl. The violence has alarmed city officials and the community, leading to urgent calls for action.

Police Chief Floyd Mitchell, addressing the public, emphasized the need for the community to reflect on the escalation of violence, particularly gun violence.

"What I am asking is for our community to take a serious look at ourselves internally about how quickly we result to gun violence," police Chief Floyd Mitchell said. "We have to stop this. When you lose a life, that life is gone, there are better ways to go about the disputes that they are having. We are going to continue to work through cease-fire and the department of violence prevention to try to find non-violent ways to solve these issues."

The most recent of these deadly incidents occurred on Thursday night on MacArthur Boulevard, where a man was found with a fatal gunshot wound. Earlier that same evening, another shooting on Ney Avenue left one man dead and two others injured. Investigators believe that this incident is connected to gang and group violence.

Additionally, a quadruple shooting over the previous weekend, which stemmed from a dispute over a parking spot, resulted in two deaths and two injuries.

Community leaders are also calling for a greater focus on violence prevention. Donald Lacy, who works to empower youth through the LoveLife Foundation, highlighted the importance of addressing the root causes of violence and finding ways to prevent such tragedies. He urged for proactive measures to make people consider their actions before resorting to violence.

"How can we figure out how to address what makes people violent?" Lacy said. "What can we do to get in front of these horrible crimes and at least get people to consider their actions before they pull the trigger, before they run over somebody in their car? It’s a bigger societal issue."

Oakland Councilmember Treva Reid, whose district was the site of one of Thursday's shootings, echoed these concerns. In a statement, she underscored the urgent need for increased violence prevention efforts and more community and public safety resources.

In a statement, Councilmember Reid said, "These violent incidents underscore the urgent need for increased violence prevention, community and public safety resources, and support in our community, which I have continued to fight for."

The week’s violence has intensified concerns about public safety in Oakland. Chief Mitchell emphasized the department's ongoing commitment to their cease-fire strategy and announced that city officials would begin holding community safety town halls. These meetings are intended to discuss Oakland's public safety plan and engage in open dialogue with residents.

As the city grapples with these recent tragedies, officials acknowledge the challenges they face but remain committed to working with the resources available. The community's involvement, they argue, is crucial in turning the tide against the violence plaguing Oakland.
 
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