Downtown Raleigh safety back in spotlight in wake of Moore Square shooting

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Public safety in downtown Raleigh was again in the spotlight Tuesday, as the man accused of shooting a 15-year-old in broad daylight near Moore Square on Monday made his first court appearance.

Steven Stanley, 22, faces two felony charges in relation to Monday's shooting and is locked up on a $1 million bond. He opted for a court-appointed attorney at Tuesday's hearing and is due back in court on Nov. 14.

The teenage victim of Monday's downtown shooting has still yet to be identified because of his age, appearing in court documents only as "SL". He remains hospitalized in critical condition.

Just before Stanley's court appearance, Raleigh City Council held a committee meeting on downtown safety, where they heard from city leaders and concerned residents as part of the ongoing conversation related to crime downtown.

"We really need a long-term, durable plan for securing our downtown. You know, this year got to a place that was not acceptable for downtown," said Bill King, president of the Downtown Raleigh Alliance.

King said Monday's crime is precisely the type of incident that calls for a longer-term, nuanced plan. The DRA has announced that security patrols will begin next week in the downtown business area from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. as part of that plan -- which also includes rolling out a more comprehensive camera network and providing better social services.

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Ultimately, however, King said downtown safety boils down to RPD, which he admitted may present some challenges given officer shortages.

"It is a tough conversation," he said. "And, you know, resources can be tight. There's a lot of demands on city resources. I don't have an answer for that, but that's for them to figure out. How do we make sure that downtown continues to be secure and the whole city continues to be secure?"

Tuesday's conversation also included discussions over behavioral health, and how those services can be bolstered in the capital city.

"We've never really had a system of care for behavioral health that this community deserves," said County Manager David Ellis. "And so, there are now people at the table who are saying, 'We can do better and we will do better.'"

There were also concerns about what a comprehensive security plan implemented by the city would mean to Raleigh's minority communities.

"As you grow, you're going to get crime problems," said activist Octavia Rainey. "That's what y'all need to address. And as you grow and you add on, downtown is not the same and Glenwood South is not the same."