Residents speak out after violence in Columbia neighborhood ramps up

Several northeast Columbia residents said Tuesday that crime will increase in their area unless police step up their involvement in these hot spots.

In the area where 17 shell casings were found following a shooting on Monday night, neighbors are actively speaking out about a need for police presence.

“The police gotta get ’em, if not, then it’s going to continue to happen, so everybody gotta stay low,” said Dayvair Spain-Sanders, who lives in the neighborhood.

Columbia police said several houses at McKee Street and Rice Road were struck by stray bullets but no one was hurt. Two people were killed in the same area early Sunday.

“You gotta have more, a bigger police presence, other than that I would like to see more officers riding up and down the street,” said Galeel Lee, who lives in the neighborhood.

CPD officials said bullets came within inches of hitting at least one man and a child. One bullet went through a duplex and exited the other side of the home. Neighbors are concerned because children live in the neighborhood.

“What people need to start figuring out is why they’re doing it and the fact that there’s kids around here makes it even worse,” Lee said.

Officials said it’s not clear how many people were involved in the gunfire or what caused it.

“I hope they don’t shoot no kids but no telling with these days,” Spain-Sanders said.