Community members say violence prevention program is overdue in Columbia

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A City of Columbia spokesperson said the city is still trying to determine what a violence prevention program will look like in Columbia, but some community members say this is long overdue.

Columbia has had multiple shootings across town in the last two days, with Columbia Police dispatch logs showing a combined 39 calls for shots fired or shots heard since March 1.

The executive director of Destiny of Hope, an organization that works to help at-risk youth, said there has been too much talk and not enough action when it comes to preventing violence.

"We want the community to come to the table and bring what they have, and from there we can figure out some things to do that can hold down the violence," said executive director Lonnie Lockhart Bey.

City of Columbia Spokesperson Sydney Olsen said while a timeline has not been established for the violence prevention program, there have been "significant" talks and internal action.

"These solutions must be unique to the community they fall within in order to address that community's unique needs," Olsen wrote in an email. "This program will be unique tot he needs of our community, but the actual shape is still being determined."

The program will be led by new Assistant City Manager Matt Unrein. Olsen said the program might become part of a bigger discussion on crime and neighborhood stabilization, and said city officials met with the program manager for the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform.

On Wednesday, one man was killed and another taken to the hospital after a report of shots fired on Doris Drive. CPD officers were also seen in the area of Volunteer Drive after reported shots fired. ABC 17 News is still trying to learn more about both of these scenes.

On Tuesday, Columbia Police were seen investigating around the Popeyes on Business Loop 70 after a woman said someone shot at her car. CPD spokesperson Jenny Hopper said Wednesday there are no reported injuries from this shooting, only property damage. She could not share any other information.

ABC 17 News spoke to the manager of that Popeyes location, who said they were able to open at their normal time on Wednesday and are working to get their windows fixed where the gunshot caused damage. He said there have been no safety concerns and believes this was a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

On Monday, one man was killed in the Conley Road Walmart parking lot. Issac Hollis was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in that shooting and is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond.

Ideally, the executive directors of Destiny of Hope and PEACE would like to see a foundation laid for the community to work with CPD and city leaders to prevent violence. They said it will allow for better relationships.

"Our people in the communities that we serve, they are hurting, they're struggling and they're trying to figure out resolution," Founder and Executive Director of PEACE Julian Jackman. "And the people need to come together to figure that out."

He said separation is apparent in Columbia, and that CPD, city leaders, churches and elders in the community need to get together to find the best ways to stop the violence.

The violence is also being noticed by the area's youth. Battle High School sophomore Jarvis Lewis said some students are more worried about what violence is going to happen than what they are going to study that night.

"Something has to stop," Lewis said. "Somebody has to do something. Somebody has to step up and say, 'Hey, this is not only affecting adults, but it's also affecting our youth, which is our next up."

"Everybody's losing in these situations," Jackman said. "Nobody's winning in these situations, everybody is losing. And that's what I hate seeing for Columbia is this lose-lose situation."

CPD said they were not able to get information on this topic at the time of publication.

Herb Watchinski, president of Columbia Neighborhood Watch, said people need to be aware of what is happening in their neighborhoods and report any suspicious activity to the non-emergency line, or 311.

"By doing that, we begin to collect significant information, intelligence if you would, that allows the law enforcement community and public safety community to look at trends and potentially become more proactive than they can if everything is done after the fact," Watchinski said.

He said community policing would help the situation, but new programs can be hard to create if CPD is short-staffed.