Obviously, Roanoke is not one of the safest cities in the nation as the crimes are increasing, specifically shootings and gun violence. Shooting in Roanoke is one of the significance issues that affecting people of the City, and continuously hurting the community. Shootings in Roanoke City are affecting Black men and young boys. Tow-Third of the shootings occurred in northwest City, and two-third of the shootings, between the victims and shooters, were Blacks. 61% of the shootings were either drug or gang related ( Roanoke Times,12,2021) Shootings have become an issue which people are facing in the community, everyday.
Gun homicides have increased by 400% in Roanoke City (wdbj7). To look at some numbers which are based on Roanoke City Police data, from January to December of 2020, 53 shootings occurred, and in 2021 this number was up to 66 shootings. In 2020, 10 people were killed because of shooting, and this number increased to 15 people in 2021.
Increasing shootings are not only destroying the lives of those who are involved, it creates trauma for younger boys and children who are living in the community and experiencing the incidents – and it becomes a hurdle in their path that may also influence them to follow the same route of violence.
We must attempt is to break violent gang mentality by educating and teaching the youths and young boys – embracing them before they are embraced by gangs, and changing the violence culture through their families and community. It is important to be truthful to people from neighborhoods with high crime rate and put the sensitivity of race, ethnicity, and other categories aside and focus on the core problem. When people are able to walk and drive at night in our city’s neighborhoods without fear it will indicate that some of our efforts are working.
However, it is apparent that the Mayor and City Council members lack the effective leadership to reduce the shootings in Roanoke City. As the data shows the shootings and crimes have pushed Roanoke City to the top of the list across the nation while the authorities and law makers are failing to offer a solution. The same Mayor and the City Council members are occupying the municipal building and following the same failed path, therefore, they must be voted out of office so that others can be given a chance to make Roanoke to a safer City.
Serwan Zangana / Roanoke
