Chief: Two Spring Lake shootings not evidence of crime trend

SPRING LAKE, NC (WTVD) -- Two shootings, two days apart have some Spring Lake residents on edge.

On Tuesday, a 62-year-old man was gunned down outside his business as he was checking the mail, and another man was shot after an argument over a basketball game at a recreation center in broad daylight.

Despite a violent week, Police Chief Troy McDuffie said the violence is not evidence of a trend.

ABC11 requested the crime statistics.

In 2017, there were 17 violent crimes. So far in 2018, there have been 20.

Even though that is a slight increase, the Police Chief said it's still not a trend.

In the scope of violent crimes, there are rapes, assaults, robberies, and murder.

A trend would mean a continuous increase in a particular crime, in the same area, under similar circumstances.

Chief McDuffie said the two recent shootings are completely different in nature and pose no ongoing risk to the public.

"I want the community to know that we don't feel like there's any type of peak in crime. You can't predict crime. The department, The officers are working hard to make sure that we keep Spring Lake as a safe community for all. Things will get back to normal. These have been a bad few days," said McDuffie.

If you know anything about Thursday's shooting on Ruth Street, you are asked to call law enforcement.