Mayor's statement on weekend shootings
The Rocky
Published June 23, 2008 at 4:21 p.m.
Updated June 23, 2008 at 4:21 p.m.
Denver is a safe community. We've had two years of crime reduction city-wide (10% from 2005 to 2006 and 11% from 2006 to 2007). While the overall trends are encouraging, we are concerned about every individual act of violence – and the havoc it wreaks on its victims and on our community's sense of security.
Denver Police have responded aggressively to both of these incidents – intervening in the LoDo shooting even as it was occurring. I commend them on their quick response and their bravery and for moving quickly with their investigations. Our officers have apprehended the person we believe shot Sierra Moore; this individual is looking at up to 16 years in prison. As a City we will aggressively hold people responsible for actions such as this. Chief Whitman will be sharing even more information on these incidents.
However, like most members of our community, I am concerned and angered by the separate acts of violence that occurred this past weekend. We all agree this is not the Denver we know – a young girl shot while walking in her neighborhood; gunfire in downtown.
Acts of violence during the summer months cause our community to worry about a possible "Summer of Violence." Let me be clear: This community will not accept violence – not a day of it, not a week of it, not a month of it – and certainly not a summer of it.
Just because temperatures rise during the summer doesn't mean that tempers have to. Yet, when they do, we MUST resolve conflicts without guns and violence.
Preventing violence in our community is a shared responsibility. Together, we work hard to engage all youth in all parts of the city. From after-school programs to free access to recreation centers to mentoring to college scholarships – opportunities abound for a good life for our youth. Much better opportunities than those found through destructive and illegal behaviors that threaten neighborhoods. In addition to these preventative measures, we have already secured an additional $612,000 in Federal funds to put more of our gang officers on the street and help them be more effective. Further, we will pursue every measure to keep guns out of the hands of our youth, including addressing any gaps there may be with our laws.
Nobody wins when guns and violence are the answer. Lives cut short. Families deprived of loved ones. Neighborhoods left in fear. And an entire community deserving solutions.
The bottom line is: We will not tolerate those who wish harm on others. We will not tolerate innocent victims being caught in the crossfire. We will not tolerate actions that create fear and insecurity in our neighborhoods. We, as a community, have a shared responsibility for public safety...for reporting threatening behaviors...sharing information with Police as neighbors did in Curtis Park …for ensuring our kids have good role models and safe places to go…and for helping to create solutions.
This city belongs to the men and women and children who seek constructive opportunities for themselves – and create them for others. This city belongs to those who work to unlock our community's potential and deliver on its promise of opportunity, security and possibility. This city belongs to all of us - and we stand together.
These challenges are not unique to Denver. But perhaps our unified commitment to resolve them can be.
I will say in closing that our hearts and houghts go out to Sierra Moore and her family for a continued speedy recovery, as well as to bystanders treated and released for minor injuries related to the LoDo incident.
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June 24, 2008
4:17 p.m.
Suggest removal
Grapes writes:
Why not make your fair city a "vehicle free zone?" Do not those that participate in violent crimes use automobiles to get to the scene and then flee? Think how much easier law enforcement officers' job would be if only they were the only ones with such mechanical means of transportation. It would place a hardship on the ordinary citizen you say....but it if stopped only one violent crime, saved one child!
You will never eliminate the ability of the criminal element to acquire weapons. By outlawing/restricting weapons, you only penalize the common man, the honest citizen. By the way - Does your security staff carry firearms to defend you personally? Is your life worth so much more than that of a mere plebian voter?
Where conservative firearms/carry laws are in place, crime diminishes. The more restrictive these laws become the more crime increases: New York, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., England, Australia and many others. Lets not make reference to OK Corral and such because it just does not happen! Concealed handgun permit holders are as a class safer and less prone to violence than are law enforcement personnel. So if it saves just one child at the expense of many, it is all right by you? There is no logic, no truth in emotional over reaction.
You would make Denver a ghetto! Where do you want our star to be worn?
June 24, 2008
8:07 p.m.
Suggest removal
NoCoptersHere writes:
What the hell? Not tolerate those who wish to do harm to others? Uhh the military was just training here, training for death, training to do harm to others. YOU FOOL NOBODY HICKENLOOPER
June 24, 2008
11:14 p.m.
Suggest removal
LibertyOrDeath writes:
First, let me say condolences to the police who fired in self-defense and in defense of the citizenry. Everyone seems to overlook the effect of having to take a life, even justifiably.
Second, my condolences to the families of those who lost loved ones and all the others who are and were affected by this violence.
Third, I agree with Grapes. Pushing for ever more Draconian gun laws only serves to disarm the lawful and shift that power to the criminal element. Numerous scientific, peer-reviewed, scholarly research has time and again shown that lawfully armed citizens reduce crime and violence. I hope Denver doesn't continue with more gun restrictions on the law abiding.
As Theodore Roosevelt so aptly put it: "NO greater WRONG can ever be done than to put a GOOD man at the MERCY of a BAD man, while telling him not to defend himself or his fellows; in NO way can he success of EVIL be made SURER or QUICKER."
Keep that in mind Denver, as you formulate your response. Do not use this atrocity as an excuse to enact another, greater atrocity, by further disarming the lawful and further restricting their rights - basic human rights - the right of self-defense. Do NOT create more victims.