Gun violence up in Utica from 2019

Authorities say gun violence there have been nine shooting homicides in Utica this year, after none were reported in 2019.

And even shootings seem to be an almost daily occurence in utica lately.

This year's numbers are up....way up....from last year's.

Newschannel 2's joleen ferris talked with police about this, and, with the people -- those who feel they can't go to police -- talk to about the problem.

Last wednesday, someone shot & killed 30 year old martin martinez, on howard ave.

Christmas day, a man was shot in the leg, on seymour ave & james street, in utica.

The very next day, someone walked into st.

Elizabeth medical center, with a gunshot wound.

And just yesterday, a report of shots fired, on sunset ave.

No one was hit..

.

None .

None 4:54 "we are deeply concerned about the spike in gun violence and homicides" the numbers are on a terrifying trajectory.

Last year, in utica, 251 shots fired calls.

This year-312.

Last year, 28 non - fatal shootings.

This year, 37 people were shot and lived.

Last year, no gun- related homocides.

This year, 9 lives ended too soon, by gun violence.

What's going on?

Utica police say, a lot 1:35 "i think covid has unfortunately hindered a lot of the community outreach aspects with the access and inclusion committee" 3:08 "however, i think personal responsibility has to play a large part in it.

You can't blame everything on covid.

I think there's certainly some huge legislative issues that have come up and all at the same time.

Raise the age, bail reform, discovery reform" utica police still patrol, gather and act on intelligence they gather in the community, and patrol the city.

Plus, their give program offers cash incentive to get guns off the street.

But utica police say, they alone can't stop gun violence 2:10 "this problem doesn't just stop and end with the police department, it's community involvement, victim/witness cooperation and people really taking a stand saying gun violence will not be tolerated here in utica and we need the help of everyone" 6:06 "and we know that everybody does not want to talk with the police and is not comfortable with that.

We understand that" and that's when roosevelt patterson's phone rings, often in the middle of the night 10:05 "when it comes to gun violence, a lot of times, the two parties, one of them really don't wanna fight with the other person so what they'll do, they'll give me a call or another member of the street team and ask us to meet with them" standup 16:30 "there is an effort underway to stop gun violence in utica, 7 days a week, often while most of us sleep, that we don't even know about.

It's the street team" more on that, new at six.

Jf, nc2.

> the mohawk valley's covid positivity rate