'Broad community conversations': Worcester officials respond to increase in youth violence
WORCESTER — On Friday, Mayor Joseph Petty, City Manager Eric Batista and the City Council released a joint statement regarding the “recent rise in youth violence in the City of Worcester.”
“Efforts to address recent incidents, as well as intervention and prevention, are a collective effort that require a thoughtful, intentional, holistic approach driven by a deep understanding of the systemic causes of violent behavior,” the leaders wrote.
It was announced that the Police Department's Summer Impact program, aimed at detering violence during he warmer months, began Friday, earlier than usual.“We will continue to have broad community conversations and we thank all of our partners as we work tirelessly to prevent and end the cycle of violence in our community,” the statement reads.
There has been a number of crimes in the city this year, some involving teenagers.
These include:
On April 30, a sport utility vehicle slammed into a house on Paine Street after the driver was shot in the head. A 16-year-old has been arrested in connection with the shooting incident.
On April 26, a 14-year-old was found with a fatal gunshot wound inside of a Rodney Street apartment. Two 16-year-olds have been arrested in connection with the shooting.
On April 7, a 17-year-old male and two 18-year-old females suffered gunshot wounds on Clarkson Street. Four people, ages 18, 19, 20 and 23, were arrested for the shooting, two of them the alleged shooters. Police reported that 45 shots were fired.
On March 5, a woman, 27, and her 11-year-old daughter were killed in a parked car on Englewood Avenue. Police said two armed men walked up to the vehicle and started shooting. Police arrested two men, ages 27 and 28.
On March 4, an 18-year-old male was shot around 4:30 p.m. in the area of 2 Main St. He suffered non-life-threatening injuries. No arrest has been made in connection to the shooting.
On Feb. 12, a 17-year-old was fatally gunned down at 14 Shannon St. A 21-year-old man was arrested in connection with the shooting, while the alleged shooter’s 18-year-old girlfriend was arrested as an accessory after the fact.
Also in February, a 17-year-old was indicted by a Worcester County grand jury for allegedly shooting and killing another a 17-year-old on Millbury Street in 2022. The defendant was 16 at the time of the killing.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Worcester officials respond to increase in youth violence
