The state of emergency in Chester is over.
The violence is not.
Just hours after the crackdown that has seemed to be successful in clamping down on street violence expired, gunshots once again rang out on city streets.
One person was wounded in a shooting that occurred just after lunch time on Friday.
It would get worse.
A double-shooting that occurred early Saturday morning left one man dead.
Clearly Chester still has issues. Maybe the biggest is the problems with guns on city streets.
When he announced that the city was lifting the crackdown, with its 9 p.m.-6a.m. curfew and limits on public gatherings, Mayor Wendell Butler also announced a gun buy-back would be held in the city on Aug. 7.
Business should be booming.
Monday a group of politicians and civic leaders called for passage of new legislation that would crack down on anyone who does not report a missing or stolen handgun.
Too many of those weapons are winding up on the streets of Chester.
State Rep. Thaddeus Kirkland, D-159, held a press conference. His message was welcomed with open arms by Republican Mayor Butler and Council Member John Linder.
The problems in Chester go deeper than politics.
It will take a concerted effort by police and the city. But perhaps more than either of those, it will take citizens – in particular young people
- to step up and put an end to the violence.
The state of emergency worked for awhile. But it was never meant as a permanent solution.
Now it very well may be up the city residents themselves.
The violence is not.
Just hours after the crackdown that has seemed to be successful in clamping down on street violence expired, gunshots once again rang out on city streets.
One person was wounded in a shooting that occurred just after lunch time on Friday.
It would get worse.
A double-shooting that occurred early Saturday morning left one man dead.
Clearly Chester still has issues. Maybe the biggest is the problems with guns on city streets.
When he announced that the city was lifting the crackdown, with its 9 p.m.-6a.m. curfew and limits on public gatherings, Mayor Wendell Butler also announced a gun buy-back would be held in the city on Aug. 7.
Business should be booming.
Monday a group of politicians and civic leaders called for passage of new legislation that would crack down on anyone who does not report a missing or stolen handgun.
Too many of those weapons are winding up on the streets of Chester.
State Rep. Thaddeus Kirkland, D-159, held a press conference. His message was welcomed with open arms by Republican Mayor Butler and Council Member John Linder.
The problems in Chester go deeper than politics.
It will take a concerted effort by police and the city. But perhaps more than either of those, it will take citizens – in particular young people
- to step up and put an end to the violence.
The state of emergency worked for awhile. But it was never meant as a permanent solution.
Now it very well may be up the city residents themselves.
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