SPOKANE, Wash — In a joint news conference on March 8, Spokane police chief Craig Meidl and Spokane Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich attribute the uptick in shootings to gang violence, and they say younger gang members have a new way of operating.
“They don’t care about killing people that is the bottom line,” Sheriff Knezovich said.
Spokane Police say this year officers have responded to 31 shootings.
10 Drive-by-shootings21 others
The sheriff’s office has also had a busy year. Major crimes detectives are still looking for a suspect in the shooting death of 16-year-old Owar Opiew, who was killed at a Spokane valley house party in early February.
The sheriff’s office saying they think the shooting is gang-related but no one is coming forward with information.
Sheriff Knezovich says he’s seen evidence that rival gang members are using Opiew’s death to galvanize other young people to take violent action. The sheriff says it’s time that the community to step up.
“I am tired of watching young people die,” Sheriff Knezovich said.
Gang violence has been a problem for decades, not only in Spokane but across the country. So why are we seeing this increase in violence now? The Director of the National Gang Center, Meena Harris, said it likely the pandemic has played a role.
“We do know that across the country, anecdotally, we are hearing a lot of stories coming from law enforcement that they are just seeing a lot of this activity by youth,” Harris said. “And I think that has a lot to do with the circumstances last year this pandemic.”
But according to Harris, most gangs aren’t hanging out on the streets nowadays as much as they are online, and the pandemic has enabled more of that.
“It does, and especially no they have more time on social media because of everything that is going on right now the current national situation,” Harris said.
If there is one thing for certain, Harris believes, it’s that beating gang violence needs to be a group effort.
“It needs to be addressed in a methodical coordinated fashion where everybody is coming together in the community,” Harris said.
