Wichita Police Chief, Joseph Sullivan, says the city has seen at least six gang-related shootings since December 10, many involving young people.
The WPD and community leaders held a press conference this morning, addressing the recent spike in violent crime. This includes a double fatal shooting from December 23, near Lincoln and Woodlawn. That incident is not believed to be directly tied gang activity, but rather a debt of about $50. Another incident from December 24 involved a couple being carjacked by a group of juveniles with guns. In this case, one of the armed suspects was a 13-year-old.
Several arrests have been made, and investigators say they have more suspects identified.
Wichita City Councilman, Brandon Johnson, spoke at this morning’s briefing. He is calling for more community involvement, especially surrounding young people. Johnson says without more engagement from parents and community members, these problems will continue.
Police say recent gang-related shootings involve ongoing disputes, some of which stem from a shooting at Towne East earlier this year. A 14-year-old boy was fatally shot and two people were arrested in that case.
The WPD outlined some trends that are going around social media, and what steps are being taken to address the violence. Their full press conference can be found below.
