The weekend just past was packed with incidents in the ‘Hub City’. The Greater Hattiesburg locale was marred by five separate shooting occurrences between Saturday and the end of Sunday during the holiday period. The early hours of Saturday witnessed the first episode of violence in Northern Hattiesburg. Based on the report from the Hattiesburg Police Department, an individual was injured by a gunshot on the side of his head shortly past midnight along Broadacres Drive. The HPD updated that this gentleman is stable. No suspects have been declared and the probe into the event carries on.
Another shooting unfolded at a shopping center on Hardy Street on Saturday, close to 11:15 p.m. Three people, two men and a woman, suffered gunshot injuries, with an additional woman being hit by a car, as per the report from HPD. All injured parties have been reported stable with no suspects named at this point, and the investigation remains in progress.
Sunday didn’t prove any more peaceful with three separate incidents. Of these, a Lamar County manhunt drew the most attention, sparked by the report of a man allegedly stealing a Jeep from a nearby Dollar General and discharging a firearm at a deputy from the Lamar County Sheriff’s Office. The search is currently underway for a thin, 5-foot-8 black man, reported wearing a white shirt and black pants.
Lamar County Sheriff Danny Rigel informed WDAM 7 on Monday, assuring the public that the search was still ongoing. In a separate incident, HPD officers attended to a situation at Bonhomie Apartments on Sunday afternoon, where they found an 18-year-old male suffering multiple gunshot injuries to his leg. The alleged perpetrator had made off by the time police arrived on the scene.
The situation, however, saw some progress by Sunday night, when a 16-year-old handed himself into authorities. The teenager has been charged with a count of aggravated assault in conjunction with a deadly weapon and a count of tampering with evidence.
Finally, a third incident unfolded just before the day gave way to Monday morning in Palmers Crossing, located in Hattiesburg. The unusually high crimewave did not go unnoticed by Hattiesburg Mayor Toby Barker. Barker publicly acknowledged that the weekend had been less than ideal for the city.
In his outreach to Hattiesburg’s population, Mayor Barker made an appeal to parents. His message was clear: there is no legitimate excuse for unsupervised juveniles being out at night. Barker highlighted that the city provides programs to engage juveniles and deter them from straying into criminal activities.
However, Mayor Barker also pointed out that it is impossible and inappropriate for the city to oversee all youngsters around the clock. ‘This responsibility begins at home. Parents should be aware of their children’s whereabouts, whom they are with, and what activities they’re partaking in,’ he suggested.
In addition, Barker addressed the town’s adult population, asking them to reflect on the potential ramifications of their actions. He advised residents to be mindful of the places they frequent in order to avoid getting swept up in others’ misdemeanors.
Barker also implored citizens to bear in mind their inherent responsibility towards their surroundings and their loved ones. Barker’s final bid was a call for improvement from the community as the end of summer beckons and schools in the city are set to reopen.
‘It is unthinkable that anyone should suffer injury or lose their life simply because a handful of individuals choose to act thoughtlessly,’ he noted. Weighing in on these issues, the Hattiesburg Police Department Chief Hardy Sims assured residents that accountability is non-negotiable when it comes to criminal activity.
Reassuring Hattiesburg’s citizens that safety remains a top priority, Sims stated, ‘We are committed to ensuring Hattiesburg retains its reputation as a safe city. Hattiesburg is not a destination to pursue criminal activities. We welcome visitors to our city, but not if their intent is violent crime.’
Sims also indicated that a press briefing is due to take place later this week to reveal the police’s forward-moving plan. A significant shift in operations is on the horizon, in particular, within select city regions that have seen a surge in violent actions.
Hub City residents should prepare to see an influx in uniformed officers patrolling their areas, according to Sims. ‘We’re bolstering our patrol numbers in response to these unfortunate events.’
For all entrants and residents of the city alike, the message from the police is clear and loud: deviating from the law will not be tolerated, and those intent on causing harm or disruption will be held accountable.
The post Unprecedented Wave of Holiday Shootings Rattles Hattiesburg appeared first on Real News Now.
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