Group violence intervention manager ID’s key factors in SB violence

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) - After a string of recent homicides in the city, South Bend’s Manager of Group Violence Intervention (GVI) said the entire community must be invested in order to reduce these tragic acts.

“The police department is doing the best that they can to try to put these clues together - who’s doing what - because nobody won’t say anything,” remarked Hunt. “But we got to do it together - from the media, all the way down to the hospital, from the hospital to the schools, from the social services to the government.”

In the last two weeks, two homicide investigations have occurred at Laurel Woods Apartments, the latest focused on finding whomever killed two Niles women, who were found early Saturday morning.

Until elected and other municipal officials unveil additional plans to drive down violence, Hunt said common sense factors impact the crime rate, such as a lack of youth programs, easy gun access, the ability for youth to obtain questionable paraphernalia at neighborhood convenience stores, as well as poor parenting.

“If my 13-year-old son is out here with a gun and shooting people, why don’t I know? Why do I not even know that my 13-year-old son is not at home? If you need help, assistance is available,” said Hunt. “We don’t want to see anybody locked up. We don’t want to see anybody in the grave. This is not about arresting people, but it’s about saving our community as well.”

Copyright 2022 WNDU. All rights reserved.