Vine City residents, city leaders call for increased patrols after recent shootings

VINE CITY, Ga. - Some Atlanta city leaders are calling for a greater police presence in Atlanta’s Vine City neighborhood after a series of recent shootings.

Officials joined community leaders at a news conference Wednesday to voice their concerns about violence in Vine City.

"How much more?" longtime resident "Able" Mable Thomas said.

Thomas and other community leaders who asked that same question said they’ve witnessed one violent incident after the next.

The most recent incident was a double shooting on Joseph E. Boone Boulevard on Sunday that left one man dead and another injured.

"Within a week’s time, we had three people to be killed," Atlanta City Councilman Byron Amos said at a news conference Wednesday.

"This is the problem, it’s a daily situation," Vine City NPU leader Shade Jones added.

On Easter Sunday, crime scene tape surrounded the basketball courts at Rodney Cook Sr. Park where a bullet grazed a 3-year-old child after an argument led to gunfire.

"A young 3-year-old girl almost lost her life and she was not in a dispute," Atlanta City Councilman Michael Bond said.

On Wednesday, city and county leaders stood with residents calling for a ceasefire in the neighborhood and more patrols from the Atlanta Police Department.

"We want to see bicycle patrols, we want to see foot patrols," Bond stated.

In response to those concerns, APD officials said they’ve made dozens of arrests in the area and recovered 13 firearms in the last year in addition to increasing patrols.

While data shows homicides are down, residents said the recent incidents still leave them feeling unsafe.

"The cry is for engagement, the cry is for public safety," Jones said.

Atlanta City Council members Byron Amos and Michael Bond said they plan to continue pushing legislation that would increase funding for the park rangers pilot program they created.

They’re asking community members with information about the shootings to come forward.

"Last year, zone 1 and zone 5, by working with the residents, saw a reduction in crime," Amos said. "We need your help again."

Rodney Cook Sr. Park is one of 20 parks in the city that will get new state-of-the-art cameras as part of newly-approved park security upgrades. City leaders said they plan to continue looking for ways to curb violence in Vine City at their next meeting. 

Below you’ll find the full statement from APD:

"Community members in Atlanta’s English Avenue and Vine City neighborhoods have shared concerns regarding violence in their communities and their feeling that more needs to be done by the Atlanta Police Department (APD). We take these concerns very seriously and we understand that a reduction in crime does not always mean our communities feel safer. We understand how important it is to feel safe where you live. This area is home to 16 APD officers. It is home to APD’s recruit housing where nearly 30 recruits live during training. The city’s first @Promise Center is very active in this neighborhood. We live and we work here. We share the same concerns about violence.

"As a result of these concerns being shared, APD Commanders conducted a review of crime and enforcement efforts in this area.

 "Commanders have increased patrols in these communities and are planning several details that will be conducted over the next several weeks. We are working to ensure the officers living here are engaged and patrolling the communities in an effective manner and we are partnering with Westside Blue to increase their coverage in the area. Our Mounted Patrol Units and Path Force Units will increase patrols in area parks and along the Beltline. 

"Our network of 93 cameras and 38 license plate readers in this area is a resource frequently used by our officers and investigators. From tracking stolen cars to identifying crime suspects, these cameras play a vital role in our enforcement and investigative efforts. A recent example of this is an investigator reviewing footage from a nearby camera to locate and recover a vehicle linked to a homicide.

"One of the most persistent issues we face is escalating disputes. Many of our violent crimes begin as a dispute that escalates to gunfire. Two of this year’s homicides were escalating disputes that led to gunfire. Investigators have made arrests in each of those cases. The third and most recent homicide appears to be a targeted shooting. Homicide investigators are actively working to identify and apprehend anyone involved in that shooting.

"We will continue to do our part, but we need the help of our communities to address the on-going issue of disputes getting out of control and leading to violence. It is vital that we stop destroying lives and throwing our own lives away by allowing anger to take over during an argument and by resorting to violence to resolve our differences.

"It is also important we follow up with our courts to help ensure repeat offenders and violent criminals are receiving appropriate sentences."