Raleigh leaders weigh response after teen-takeover shootings
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Raleigh city leaders are considering potential strategies to prevent future violence after a series of shootings linked to what police described as a "teen takeover" left nine people injured during the weekend.
The shootings occurred across multiple locations during roughly six hours, beginning late Saturday night and continuing into early Sunday morning. Police said the victims are expected to survive, while investigators continue searching for those responsible.
"This is a time for all of us to parents coming to sit down and to talk to our kids about making better choices," said Gerald Givens, founder of Raleigh Boots on the Ground, a nonprofit focused on preventing and responding to community violence.
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According to Raleigh Police, approximately 3,000 teenagers gathered in Brier Creek around 10:30 p.m. Saturday. A fight outside a movie theater ended with a shooting that injured two adults, neither of whom was involved in the altercation. One adult was struck by gunfire, and a second was hurt by shattered glass from the shooting.
Authorities detained a juvenile in possession of a handgun at the scene, though they do not believe the juvenile is one of the shooters.
After the scene at Brier Creek was cleared, police say about 5,000 teens converged on Glenwood South.
Just after 1:30, police responded to a shooting scene along the 600 block of Glenwood Avenue. Approximately half an hour later, there was a shooting at the 700 block of Tucker Street. At 2:30, there was another shooting at 14 Glenwood Avenue, followed by a fourth shooting just before 3:30 in the 600 block of West Lane Street.
In total, investigators identified six victims.
Finally, around 4:30, police responded to a shooting along the 800 block of Capital Boulevard, where they say a fight at a gas station led to two people being shot.
"We got to do something different because we can't be satisfied with that result," said Jason Armstrong, who retired as Police Chief in Apex and now serves as CEO of Armstrong Consulting.
Armstrong explained that the "teen takeover" trend has been seen elsewhere across the country, as Raleigh Police estimated that about half the teenagers involved were from outside the city.
"Dealing with a crowd of that size is always going to be a challenge for law enforcement," Armstrong added. "Take the Raleigh Police Department that has hundreds of officers, but these were thousands of young people that showed up."
Armstrong explained how authorities respond to these types of calls.
"It doesn't matter if it's 16- or 17-year-olds or if there's 20- or 30-year-olds, if people are armed with guns and they are shooting people, our response to that is going to be the same response, regardless of how old the individuals are," he said.
Givens said his organization plans to increase outreach efforts focused on de-escalation and conflict resolution.
"We're going to be increasing our teachings on de-escalation around the community, especially targeting our youth and encouraging them to just slow down," he said.
As city leaders discuss next steps, Mayor Janet Cowell suggested a youth curfew could be one potential option. In a statement, Cowell wrote:
"As Mayor, I am grateful for the actions of the Raleigh Police officers in response to the situations of juvenile violence across the City on the night of July 4 and morning of July 5. Clearly, Raleigh is not exempt from the incidents of youth violence that are occurring across the country. We need to talk with the youth, their parents, schools and the broader community to understand the root causes and to better coordinate strategies. One approach may be a youth curfew for those 17 years and under, which other cities in North Carolina have implemented. City leadership is exploring many approaches that we will discuss at tomorrow's Council meeting."
Armstrong said a holistic approach is needed.
"Rolling out different things like curfews, rolling out different things where there may be penalties for the parents, if they don't exercise better control over their young people, is also another option," he said.
At this time, it is unclear how the suspects involved were able to access the weapons used in the shootings. Armstrong stressed the importance of safe storage of weapons, including ensuring guns are not left in unlocked vehicles.
"I can't tell you how many reports we take annually, and how frustrating it is where people leave their vehicles unlocked and have unsecured firearms inside their vehicles that people are able to take. Oftentimes, we see that those are young people that are getting those weapons out of those vehicles," Armstrong said.
Cowell, along with Raleigh Police Chief Rico Boyce and Raleigh City Manager Marchell Adams-David, is expected to address the media Tuesday.
In a statement, Chief Boyce wrote:
"What happened across our city on the Fourth of July is both heartbreaking and unacceptable. Our thoughts are with every victim, every family, and everyone whose lives were impacted by these senseless acts of violence. We remain committed to identifying those responsible, holding them accountable, and working alongside our community to prevent this from happening again. Public safety is a shared responsibility, and it will take all of us-law enforcement, parents, community leaders, and residents-to ensure Raleigh remains a safe place to live, work, and visit."
Givens said: "It's time to be able to have a conversation with our youth about being responsible and making better choices when they're with their friends. We all know what peer pressure is like, but don't assume just because your kid has great school grades and they have the best behavior, that they can't make one bad decision."
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