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Midtown crime town hall
Atlanta Police Chief Rodney Bryant said during a Midtown crime town hall that the top reason for gun violence is two people arguing and failing to reach a conflict resolutions. He also credited the APD's new strategy for bringing down illegal street racing activity and said the issue with the so-called water boys is the city cannot compete when the teens are making about $500 a day from drivers.
ATLANTA - An uptick in gun violence has city leaders and Atlanta police scrambling to find ways to stop it.
Atlanta Police Chief Rodney Bryant addressed the surge in crime during a town hall hosted by the Midtown Neighborhood Association Tuesday night.
At this meeting, Bryant was joined by other leaders to address all aspects of crime.
The chief of police says they've seen success in some areas, like illegal street racing.
Bryant says there is a serious gang problem in the city, but he doesn't believe it's the main reason behind the surge in gun violence.
"It is not gang violence, it is not drugs, it is two people that have failed to have conflict resolution," he said.
The chief says they're working to tackle other issues, like helping the so-called "water boys" find new ways of making money.
Another concern for the Atlanta police chief is handling repeat offenders.
Bryant says there's no system in place for the court, the jail, and law enforcement to conduct an adequate background check on a person.
Bryant isn't the only member of the area's law enforcement discussing the crime situation. Wednesday morning, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis will also address the uptick in crime to Fulton County commissioners.
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