Police department efforts to stem a recent series of shootings downtown seem to have worked, Chief Ken Burton told business leaders Tuesday.
Since the shootings in late July and early August, there have not been any shots fired incidents downtown. Burton said he sees no reason for nearby neighborhoods to worry about violence spreading from downtown.
“These are not bands of armed hoodlums, ” he said. “These are select individuals that are down there looking for trouble. Some of it’s gang-related, some of it’s narcotic-related.”
Scott Wilson, chair of the Downtown Columbia Leadership Council and attorney at The Hines and Wilson Law Firm, said that they had requested Burton’s attendance at its Tuesday meeting.
“We wanted to be sure that it wasn’t some long-term trend,” he said of the shootings. “We all feel reassured that downtown is safe. I don’t think we need this extra enforcement downtown permanently.”
To view the entire story, visit columbiamissourian.com.