Savannah Mayor Van Johnson: After 2 weeks of City Market shootings, curfew is 'still on our mind'

Editor's note: This story has been updated to more accurately reflect Johnson's comments on Savannah's yearly violent crime rate.

After a weekend that saw another shooting in the heart of downtown Savannah, Mayor Van Johnson said Tuesday the city wasn’t ready to enforce a curfew yet, but that it is “still on our mind.”

Johnson said he has talked to business owners who would be affected by a curfew, should one be put in place. He said the city has reached out about working collaboratively with the businesses, "utilizing our partnerships to see what we can do to be able to address those issues."

That includes providing better lighting in high-population areas downtown, Johnson said.

Previously:Savannah mayor: After City Market shooting, curfews, other safety measures on the table

Violence continues:Savannah police: Two teens injured in second shooting in a week at City Market

Johnson initially floated the idea of a curfew to members of the media during his weekly media brief last week. There, he said while the city can't control the number of guns available, they can control street closures, alcohol licenses and curfews. 

“The curfew in my mind is the absolute final step — when nothing else has worked,” Johnson said Tuesday.

Violence continues, not contained to one area

Johnson’s comments come after a weekend that saw another City Market shooting, on the 600 block of Barnard Street that injured two teenagers near Wild Wing Cafe. 

That incident followed a triple shooting on the 200 block West St. Julian Street on June 26, where police found four people with injuries — three with gunshot wounds and one with an injury of unknown origin. 

But the violence is not confined to downtown. Police are also investigating a July 2 homicide on Meadows Avenue that took the life of a 21-year-old, as well as a domestic stabbing in which a man injured four of his family members.

Johnson said he was out in the City Market area all weekend, and he wasn’t alone. Savannah police had extra officers on patrol in both City Market and River Street, where most of the Independence Day celebrations were concentrated.

In case you missed it: 21-year-old man arrested in connection to Friday night fatal shooting

More violence:Savannah man charged with 4 counts aggravated assault for stabbings at southside residence

“You walk around and just pray that something doesn't happen,” Johnson said. “Walking along the street, walking around seeing people walking with several firearms, just praying that nothing happens.”

Johnson lamented there being “guns everywhere,” due to state laws. Earlier this year, Gov. Brian Kemp signed a bill into law that made Georgia a constitutional carry state, which eliminated the state’s requirement for gun owners to have a permit to carry their weapon in public.

Mayor Van Johnson: ‘Something has to change’

Johnson said if the domestic violence killings, suicides and one homicide investigation that carried over from 2021 were removed, the city would be on a below-average pace for the yearly homicide count.

But the homicide count is just one metric, and violent crime in Savannah overall is outpacing previous years.

As of June 25, the most recent available crime statistics from Savannah police, non-domestic aggravated assaults with guns within Savannah police jurisdiction were up by 25 from 2021. That year, police had investigated 141 aggravated assaults by June 25; this year, the city is at 166, not including the shootings in the last two weeks. 

Savannah police have investigated 17 homicides this year, the same number they had by this point in 2021.

Police chief resigning:Savannah Police Chief Roy Minter will resign, focus on U.S. Marshal confirmation

Time for change:Clergy, community call for reform as Chief Roy Minter resigns from Savannah Police

Amidst it all, Savannah police Chief Roy Minter announced on Thursday he would be leaving the department to focus on the confirmation process for his nomination to serve as U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Georgia. Minter's last day with the Savannah Police Department will be July 29.

“Something has to change,” Johnson said. “Something has to change.

Will Peebles is the enterprise reporter for Savannah Morning News. He can be reached at wpeebles@gannett.com and @willpeeblessmn on Twitter.