Mayor, law enforcement call on community help following rash of deadly shootings in Florence County - WMBF
FLORENCE, S.C. (WMBF) – Florence city and county leaders are calling for the community to work together and work with law enforcement after a weekend of shootings took the lives of four people, including an 11-year-old.
Florence Mayor Ervin, Florence Police Chief Allen Heidler and Florence County Sheriff’s Maj. Mike Nunn made statements on Monday morning, all with the same message that the community can come together and work together to bring change. The three of them stood with members of the city and county councils, members of the community and clergy members.
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Ervin said she can’t remember a time when the city and county experienced such a loss of life. She also added that people from Florence County where involved in a deadly shooting in Myrtle Beach over the weekend as well, which led to the death of a 17-year-old from Florence.
Heidler said law enforcement needs the community to work with them, whether it’s getting involved in community organizations such as a neighborhood watch, or stepping up and telling them when residents see something suspicious happening in their area. He said that law enforcement can’t be everywhere at once.
He added that if people are afraid to come forward due to retaliation, there are a number of ways that people can remain anonymous.
“We and the sheriff’s office have worked with the solicitor’s office to develop a witness information identification protection program, and people can feel more secure coming forward to law enforcement, whether it’s through our hotline or through the South Carolina crime tips hotline. We have a way of protecting identification throughout the course of the investigation,” Heidler explained.
The police chief also asked the community to support efforts to mentor young people, especially young men.
“There are a number of grassroots programs that are providing that type of training and support to young men across our county and our city and we need to support those too,” Heidler said.
Nunn spoke for Florence County Sheriff TJ Joye who couldn’t be at the gathering but said that the sheriff is alarmed about the violence that they’re seeing in their streets.
Nunn echoed Heidler and said that they support every community initiative that will bring some kind of resolution to the violence.
“It’s not just law enforcement, it’s organizations like Helping Florence Flourish that play a vital role in bringing our community together,” Nunn said.
He added that creating a neighborhood watch group can also help to decrease violence in the community.
“We ask that if you have concerns in your neighborhoods that you contact us. We can help you establish a community crime watch organization. Those are proven effective methods in reducing crimes in neighborhoods and we encourage you to do that. Reach out to us and we can help you make that happen,” Nunn said.
Ervin said it’s going to take everyone working together to make a change and that citizens have to build relationships with law enforcement so that not only will the community build trust with officers and deputies, but also so that law enforcement can feel safe in the community.
“When it comes to the city and the county, this is going to have to spread beyond us. As a nation, we are under one of the strangest situations we have ever seen with the loss of life and how quick individuals are ready to shoot,” Ervin said.
There are several ways to communicate with law enforcement if people know about crimes happening in Florence County or the city of Florence, or if they see something suspicious in their neighborhood.
People in the community can call FCSO Investigators at (843)665-2121, ext. 434 or “submit a tip” on the FCSO free app for iPhone or Android devices. Members of the community do not have to reveal their identity in order to leave information. People can also leave information anonymously by contacting Crime Stoppers of the Pee Dee at 1-888-CRIME-SC.
For the Florence Police Department, people can call 843-665-3191.
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source: https://www.wmbfnews.com/2022/04/25/florence-mayor-hold-press-conference-after-deadly-weekend-shootings/
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