Birmingham Police Chief responds to five murders in the city this week alone

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - Birmingham Police Chief Scott Thurmond is calling the five murders this week alone unacceptable.

“People are engaging in activities they shouldn’t be engaging in. Illegal activities with people they shouldn’t be hanging out with and often times these result in violence. All of these occurred in residential areas. Three occurred inside a residence which is very hard for law enforcement to prevent..things that occur inside a private residence,” Chief Thurmond said.

Thurmond says police can’t be everywhere and they need the community’s help now more than ever.

“You have to be each other’s keeper to a degree as well. If things are escalating somewhere, we need to know about it so we can intervene before it escalates to violence and someone loses their life,” Thurmond said.

WBRC recently sat in on a conversation about gun violence. The community groups discussed what drives it and solutions to combat it.

“Right now, gun violence is at an all-time high and what we’re looking at is that persons between the ages of 19 and 39 are those that are directly impacted the most. However, those that are actually losing their lives to gun violence here in Birmingham, the ages are getting even lower,” Dena Dickerson, with the Offender Alumni Association said.

Organizers at the meeting say there are strategies cities can implement to try and reduce gun violence including identifying people and groups at the highest risk for gun violence, implementing hospital-based violence intervention programs, street outreach and curing violence by changing community norms.

“They are not the only way to prevent violence, and yet, these are strategies that can work most immediately to intervene and interrupt cycles of violence,” Dr. Shani Buggs, a violence interventionist said.

We’re told BPD plans to install 50 new cameras around the city hoping that will help fight crime.

Chief Thurmond stressed the importance of getting help from the public to help fight crime as well.

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