Boyce opened a press conference by saying Raleigh is a safe city and that recent violent crimes do not represent what the city has to offer. He said the department is addressing public safety issues at their source.
So far this year, police have seized 474 illegal guns, Boyce said. The department is also promoting safe gun storage and strengthening partnerships with ALE and Wake ABC, as well as increasing resources in downtown nightlife areas.
Recent juvenile crime data shows delinquent complaints involving youth ages 6 to 17 dropped about 4.2 percent from 2024, according to police.
WATCH: Chief Boyce's full news conference
Raleigh Police Chief Rico Boyce's full news conference
Despite that decline, recent incidents of violent crime have occurred. Last Friday, three people were shot at Triangle Town Center after police say a verbal altercation turned violent. Over the weekend, a man was killed in a shooting at a Raleigh apartment.
Boyce said public safety is a shared responsibility and emphasized continued investment in youth programs to keep young people out of trouble and on the right path.
"If we save just one child from a life of violence, that's success," Boyce said. "Bringing these collective partners together is going to augment how effective we are in the community. The more we can partner with our public safety partners and our community and reach more kids, that's going to have an impact on our safety here in the capital city."
He added that law enforcement alone cannot solve the issue.
"Policing and public safety alone cannot solve this problem. As a community policing department, we know that safety is a shared responsibility," Boyce said. "We are part of this community just as this community is part of us. When we stand together, we are stronger and more effective."
As the city enters the summer months, Boyce urged everyone in the community to play a role in staying safe and to speak up if something seems wrong.
In the past two weeks, there have been violent crimes involving numerous people.
The most recent was Friday, when a fight led to three people being injured from gunfire inside Triangle Town Center. The mall was evacuated and closed for the evening. It reopened on Saturday.
On April 11 four people were hurt in an overnight stabbing in downtown Raleigh after a fight. One person was arrested but the charges were later dropped.
On April 12, police responded to a shooting call on Glenwood Avenue and found a man injured.
On April 14, police responded to a shooting call. Officers said 27-year-old Terrance Quarles died after he was shot during a fight with other individuals. Three people are facing charges connected to his death.
On Wednesday, an argument escalated in a grocery store parking, and shots were fired. A man involved in the argument who drove himself to the hospital was also charged in the incident.
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On Thursday, a juvenile was injured in a shooting at an apartment complex.
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Monday, Wake County leaders reviewed new juvenile crime data which showed complaints involving youth ages 6 to 17 dropped to 3,556 last year, down about 4.2 percent from 2024.