Members of Fort Pierces City Commission said it didnt know of potential solutions to the recent episode of gun violence in the city over the weekend.
The Fort Pierce Police Department said three people, one killed in a gunfight with police, died after a series of shootings in a three-block area in the city on Saturday. Officials announced another drive-by shooting close to those shootings on Monday afternoon caused property damage, but injured nobody.
The city released a statement over the shooting Monday saying it was sad about the shooting saying its thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families.
Together, we are stronger. Together, we will heal, it read.
WPTV went to the commission meeting to understand council members solutions and current efforts to address gun violence.
Linda Hudson, who is the mayor of Fort Pierce, said the problem in Fort Pierce isnt different than any city in the United States. She said the city is unsure about the solution.
Were looking for it to, but every city is having this kind of problem. But, were open to it and were working on a lot of things to make it happen, Hudson said. Do you know what the solution is? No. Were continuing to work on everything we can with these young people.
She said the city collaborates with the school system on a roundtable executive to keep young people safe, performs community policing projects and has police officers play sports and help with homework with kids in poverty to reduce to gun violence. Hudson also said its working on improving economics to stop crime as an option
Its a one-on-one thing trying to show these kids theres another way to live rather than use a gun, Hudson said.
Fort Pierce said the man, Bernard Smith, who was shooting at police officers was 28-years-old.
Commissioner Arnold Gaines says he knows some of the victims, which has made recent events more tragic for him. He also said he doesnt know the solution.
I dont have the answers and I know everybody because we sit up we should have the answers, Gaines said. Im looking for the answers. Im hurting.
Commissioner Curtis Johnson Jr. said he also knows some of the victims. He said many are his neighbors and mentioned an autoposy might show drugs as a possible motive for shootings.
We might understand what they might be on or taking and that may lead to some clues as to why they had a certain medical reaction, Johnson Jr. said.
Commissioner Jeremiah Johnson indicated the amount of money the state legislatures appropriates to issues within the criminal justice system in the state budget, which a lobbyist from GrayRobinson estimated at about 6%, was partially to blame for the episode of violence. He said the city should look at programs to stop gun violence.
We have to figure out what resources we have to attribute to combatting these changes in our environment, he said.