SPRINGFIELD — It’s not just Dayton that is seeing an increase in homicides in the first part of 2023.
Springfield police are already way ahead of last year’s pace for fatal shootings.
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The increased violence hit Springfield immediately in 2023.
On New Year’s Day, gunfire was reported on South Race street in Springfield.
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Police responded there, found several people hit, and 41-year-old Darryl Stamper would die from his injuries.
Officers were called to the same street the exact same day. A police SWAT team surrounded two different homes looking for shooting suspects.
The violence didn’t slow down.
In February, there was more fatal gunfire on East Liberty Street.
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There have been two more homicides as well and the numbers show a troubling trend.
So far, Springfield has already reported four homicides in the first two months of the year. That compares to only seven killings in all of 2022.
However, that 2022 number was lower than the three years before.
Springfield showed 10 in 2020 and 12 in 2021.
The police department is working every day to establish stronger community relations.
The hope is that non-violent problem-solving will become more typical.
They are also hoping to get some help and support from the state.
News Center 7 caught up to Governor DeWine on increasing gun violence and asked him what Columbus and the state can do to help cities on the front lines of this issue.
“We’ve put out over $250 million dollars to local police departments and then allowed them to decide how they want to spend that money,” DeWine said. “The majority of them, interestingly, then decided the way we’ll spend this money is to attract officers in.”
Springfield police say they have always admitted they need community help to solve crimes, now they want community help to prevent problems.
They’re urging people to speak with their friends and neighbors and let them know picking up a gun is no way to solve your crimes.
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