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AND I AM HONORED TO REPRESENT THE NEW BERN POLICE DEPARTMENT.UM, JOINING ME TODAY TO MY RIGHT IS CRAVEN COUNTY SHERIFF CHIP HUGHES, AND TO MY LEFT IS CRAVEN COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY SCOTT THOMAS.
UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US TODAY HERE AT THE STANLEY, A WHITE REC CENTER, NEW BURNS NEWEST FACILITY DEDICATED TO ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL OF OUR CITIZENS.
BEFORE I BEGIN, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOME KEY INDIVIDUALS HERE IN SUPPORT OF OUR EFFORTS TO ADDRESS THE RECENT SURGE IN VIOLENCE IN OUR CITY.
UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE MAYOR ODOM FOR HIS PRESENCE HERE AND FORMER MAYOR OUTLAW FOR HIS PRESENCE.
I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALDERMAN PRI, ALDERMAN ROYAL AND ALDERMAN BEST.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENCE HERE AS WELL.
ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE FORMER ALDERMAN VICTOR TAYLOR, AND COUNTY COMMISSIONER, UH, B SMITH.
THERE ARE SEVERAL, UH, CITY AND COUNTY LEADERS THAT I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE.
MY BOSS, CITY MANAGER, FOSTER HUGHES, WOULD HAVE BEEN HERE HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR HIS NEED TO BE ELSEWHERE THIS MORNING.
UM, BUT IN HIS PLACE, UH, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER MARVIN WILLIAMS IS HERE.
ALSO, COUNTY MANAGER JACK VICE IS ALSO HERE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, PRESENCE.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PROMINENT NEW BURN, NEW IANS, UM, CITIZENS WHO LIVE IN OUR WONDERFUL CITY THAT, UM, WISH TO BE HERE TODAY AND HAS ALSO BEEN IN THE FOUR YEARS THAT I HAVE BEEN, UH, THE CHIEF OF POLICE HAVE SUPPORTED POLICE IN OUR EFFORTS TO ABATE VIOLENT CRIME, AND I JUST LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE A FEW OF THEM.
SOME, UM, ARE RUNNING LATE, UM, AND SOME CANNOT BE HERE, BUT THEIR VOICES ARE LOUD AND THEIR MESSAGE IS CLEAR.
UH, JAMAL WALLACE, WHO IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE RESIDENCE, UH, DUFFY FIELD COUNCIL, UH, MR. BILLY MOORE.
MR. CURTIS, UH, STEWART, UH, ONE OF MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE PEOPLE, UH, NOT JUST IN NEWBURN, UH, BUT UM, IN THE 60 YEARS I'VE LIVED IN I I I'VE BEEN ALIVE IS MS. ETHEL SAMPSON.
SHE WASN'T FEELING WELL, BUT SHE SAYS I AM GOING TO BE HERE.
AND HER DAUGHTERS, UH, BOTH BARBARA AND BETTY SAMPSON ARE ALSO HERE.
I ALSO, UH, SAW THAT, UH, JOHN BARNWELL IS HERE AND ALSO ROBBIE MORGAN.
SO THANK YOU BOTH, UH, FOR BEING HERE AND LENDING YOUR SUPPORT.
ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOME OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS, UM, IN THE ROOM.
THE FIRST PERSON IS TIM GARRETT FOR THE US MARSHAL SERVICE, ASSISTANT CHIEF INSPECTOR CAROLINA REGIONAL FUGITIVE TASK FORCE.
AND ALSO ASSISTANT US ATTORNEY KIMBERLY DIXON OF THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA.
MS. DIXON, THANK YOU ALSO FOR BEING HERE.
UNFORTUNATELY, GREG K OF THE FBI GREENVILLE, UH, FIELD OFFICE IS UNABLE TO ATTEND, BUT HE HAS REMAINED A CONSTANT, UH, SOURCE OF SUPPORT FOR NEWBURN AND CRAVEN COUNTY.
STANDING ALONGSIDE ME, AS I'VE ALREADY INDICATED, IS THE SHERIFF AND DISTRICT ATTORNEY, THEIR UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO THE SAFETY OF THOSE WHO LIVE, WORK, AND VISIT NEWBURN.
COUPLED WITH THEIR COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO TACKLING CRIME SETS A POWERFUL EXAMPLE OF HOW LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES CAN WORK TOGETHER TO COMBAT CRIME, PARTICULARLY VIOLENT CRIME.
EQUALLY CRITICAL ARE THE PARTNERSHIPS WE FORGE WITH STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES.
WE'RE FORTUNATE TO MAINTAIN STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE CRAVEN COUNTY PROBATION AND PAROLE.
THE CRAVEN COUNTY, UH, I BEG YOUR PARDON, THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, THE NORTH CAROLINA HIGHWAY PATROL.
FOR SEVERAL YEARS, WE HAVE COLLABORATED WITH FEDERAL PARTNERS, INCLUDING AS MENTIONED EARLIER, THE FBI, THE A TF, THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, THE US MARSHALS, THE DA'S OFFICE IN THE C CRAVEN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
SINCE 2023, THESE EFFORTS HAVE RESULTED IN THE FORMATION OF THE VCAP TASK FORCE.
THIS IS THE VIOLENT CRIME ACTION PLAN, UNITING LAW ENFORCEMENT ENTITIES TO ADDRESS VIOLENT CRIME.
HEAD ON IN 2021, THE NEW BERN POLICE DEPARTMENT ESTABLISHED
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ITS VIOLENT CRIME UNIT, SPECIFICALLY TARGETING GANG ACTIVITY, DRUG DISTRIBUTION, AND GUN VIOLENCE.THE CRAVEN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS A SIMILAR UNIT, THE SPECIAL INVESTIGATIVE CORRECTION INVESTIGATION BUREAU, SIB.
ALL DETECTIVES IN OUR VIOLENT CRIMES UNIT ARE DULY SWORN, GRANTED THEM JURISDICTIONAL AUTHORITY THROUGHOUT CRAVEN COUNTY.
THESE UNITS WORK TOGETHER, UH, AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORK IN TANDEM, UH, PULLING RESOURCES, EQUIPMENT, AND INTELLIGENCE TO PROTECT ALL CITIZENS, WHETHER THEY RESIDE IN NEW BERN OR ELSEWHERE IN CRAVEN COUNTY.
DESPITE THESE EFFORTS, THE SOCIAL CONDITIONS THAT GIVE RISE TO, TO GANG CULTURE AND FUEL, CRIMINALITY PARTICULARLY GAIN VIOLENCE, REMAIN DEEPLY ENTRENCHED POVERTY, LACK OF OPPORTUNITY, FRACTURED FAMILIES AND NEGLECT CONTINUE TO CREATE ENVIRONMENTS WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE ATTRACTED TO GANG LIFE, OFTEN CHARACTERIZED BY VIOLENCE AND INTIMIDATION AS A MEANS OF PERCEIVED BELONGING.
SINCE MARCH OF THIS YEAR, OUR COMMUNITY HAS WITNESSED A DISTURBING SURGE IN VIOLENCE WHERE FOUR PEOPLE WERE INJURED BY GUN VIOLENCE AND ONE LOST HIS LIFE, REFLECTING THE PERSISTENT GRIP OF THE UNDERLYING SOCIAL CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE.
ON MARCH 15TH, A SHOT SPOTTER ALERT REPORTED SHOTS FIRED AT SOUTH FRONT STREET AND WALT BELLAMY DRIVE OFFICERS RECOVERED SHELL CASINGS AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER LEARNED THAT A 23-YEAR-OLD GOLDSBORO RESIDENT ARRIVED AT CAROLINA EAST MEDICAL CENTER WITH A GUNSHOT WOUND TO HIS HAND.
ON MARCH 26TH, A SHOOTING OCCURRED ALONG THE 600 BLOCK OF THIRD AVENUE, LITERALLY A STONE'S THROW FROM WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
THE VICTIM, AN 18-YEAR-OLD NEW BERN RESIDENT, WAS SHOT IN THE BACK AND TRANSPORTED TO ECU HEALTH IN GREENSVILLE.
AS OF THIS MORNING, THE NEW BERN POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS MADE AN ARREST OF A 20-YEAR-OLD NEWBURN RESIDENCE FOR THIS CRIME.
HE IS BEING CHARGED WITH ASSAULT, WITH A DEADLY WEAPON, WITH INTENT TO KILL.
MORE DETAILS ON THAT CRIME IS FORTHCOMING OR WILL BE FORTHCOMING.
ON MARCH 28TH, THE OFFICERS RESPONDED TO A SHOOTING AT MONT ROAD WHERE THEY FOUND A 23-YEAR-OLD SILAS WALLACE, DECEASED FROM A GUNSHOT WOUND.
THIS INVESTIGATION ESTABLISHED PROBABLE CAUSE TO CHARGE TWO NEW BERN RESIDENCE, ER, ROBBINS ROBBINS 21, UH, AND MR. CHERRY 21 FOR MURDER AND DISCHARGING A FIREARM INTO A MOVING OR OCCUPIED VEHICLE.
ARREST WARRANTS WERE ISSUED AND EXTENSIVE EFFORTS WERE MADE TO LOCATE AND APPREHEND.
BOTH THE SEARCH FOR BOTH SUSPECTS WERE LED BY THE US MARSHAL SERVICE.
UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF AGENT TIM GARY AND THE NEWBURN POLICE DEPARTMENT, US MARSHAL TASK FORCE OFFICER, WE ARE HAPPY TO REPORT THAT THESE SUSPECTS WERE LOCATED YESTERDAY AFTERNOON IN GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA.
YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, TAKEN INTO CUSTODY SAFELY.
ON MARCH 29TH, THE JUVENILE WAS SHOT ON BLOOMFIELD STREET SUSTAINING NON-LIFE THREATENING LEG INJURIES.
THAT CASE IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION.
ON APRIL 1ST, OFFICERS RESPONDED TO WINDHAM PARK DRIVE AROUND 8:00 PM AFTER REPORTS OF A MAN WHO HAD BEEN SHOT IN THE SHOULDER, THE VICTIM, A NEWBURN RESIDENT, WAS TAKEN TO ECU HEALTH AND IS IN STABLE CONDITION.
THE INVESTIGATION LED TO THE ARREST OF TWO INDIVIDUALS, 28-YEAR-OLD TYRE SCOTT, AND 24-YEAR-OLD JOSH QUEZ GREEN.
BOTH HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON, WITH INTENT TO KILL, INFLICTING SERIOUS INJURIES, POSSESSION OF STOLEN FIREARM, POSSESSION OF FIREARM BY BY A FELON, AND THE DISCHARGING OF A FIREARM IN AN OCCUPIED DWELLING.
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE OUTSTANDING WORK THAT WAS CONDUCTED BY MEMBERS OF THE VIOLENT CRIME UNIT,
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BUT THE MANNER IN WHICH THEY WERE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY BRING THAT CASE, UM, TO AN ARREST WITHIN HOURS OF THE OFFENSE.THESE ACTS OF VIOLENCE ARE GANG RELATED AND EACH VICTIM WAS TARGETED.
THESE WERE NOT RANDOM ACTS OF VIOLENCE.
MANY INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED ARE KNOWN TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AND HAVE EXTENSIVE CRIMINAL RECORDS.
THE HOMICIDE, LISTEN TO WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY.
THE HOMICIDE OF A 14-YEAR-OLD BY A 14-YEAR-OLD IN THE SUMMER OF 2024 WAS ALSO GANG RELATED, AS WAS THE MURDER OF NEIL ALONE.
SHEP TALK ON JULY OR JULY 4TH, 2023 WAS GANG RELATED.
MY MESSAGE TO THOSE INVOLVED IN GANGS IS UNEQUIVOCAL.
LAW ENFORCEMENT AT ANY LEVEL, ESPECIALLY HERE IN NEW BERN AND CRAVEN COUNTY, WILL NOT TOLERATE YOUR ILLEGAL ACTIONS OR BEHAVIORS.
WE WILL USE EVERY LEGAL TOOL AT OUR EXPO, UH, AT OUR, UH, DISPOSAL TO IDENTIFY, ARREST AND PROSECUTE TO THE FULLEST EXTENT POSSIBLE.
I INVITE CRAVEN COUNTY SHERIFF CHIP HUGHES TO SPEAK AND PROVIDE HIS COMMENT, BUT BEFORE I DO SO, LET ME PUBLICLY COMMEND HIM AND HIS TEAM FOR THE MANY YEARS OF COLLABORATION AND SUPPORT, THE NEW BERN POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS NO GREATER ALLY THAN THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE CRAVEN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM FOR BEING HERE BECAUSE THAT SAYS YOU CARE, YOU'RE VESTED IN YOUR COMMUNITY AND YOU AGREE WITH US.
UH, THIS RHETORIC, THE DEATHS OF THESE YOUNG YOUTH THAT HAVE SUCH A BRIGHT FUTURE IN FRONT OF 'EM HAS TO STOP.
AND IT'S OUR JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS NOT CONTINUE.
UM, I, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAW, BUT YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN DOING VERY PROACTIVE ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS IN THIS AREA OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS.
UH, WE HAVE MULTIPLE OPERATIONS GOING ON RIGHT NOW WITHIN A A SQUARE MILE OF THIS PLACE WHERE OUR DEPUTIES AND POLICE OFFICERS WORKING SIDE BY SIDE ARE OUT REMOVING NARCOTICS, GUNS, AND GANG MEMBERS FROM OUR STREETS.
AND WHEN I TALKED TO THE FOLKS, WHEN I SEE SOMEONE SITTING ON THEIR STEP LIKE I DID THIS MORNING AND WALKED UP AND TALKED TO 'EM, THEY WERE THANKFUL BECAUSE THEIR CHILD IS SCARED TO COME OUTSIDE AND PLAY.
UM, THAT DOES NOT WORK FOR ANY OF US.
THAT'S NOT WHAT NEWBURN IS ABOUT.
THAT'S NOT WHAT CRAVEN COUNTY IS ABOUT.
SO OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU IS WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO USE, AS THE CHIEF SAID, EVERY RESOURCE WE HAVE AT OUR DISPOSAL, DISPOSAL TO COME IN AND ERADICATE THIS CRIMINAL ACTIVITY IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND WE ARE GONNA CONTINUE TO GO AFTER 'EM WITH EVERYTHING WE'VE GOT.
THE PARTNERSHIP THAT MY OFFICE HAS WITH ALL OF THE AGENCIES THAT WERE MENTIONED IN THE, IN THE CHIEF'S COMMENTS, UM, I'M THANKFUL FOR THAT.
UH, THAT I'VE GOT A CHIEF HERE THAT WE TALK ALMOST DAILY ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT ARE TAKING PLACE IN NEW BERN AND THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE.
AND I'VE COMMITTED TO HIM THAT EVERY RESOURCE I HAVE IS HIS AND VICE VERSA.
AND THAT'S THE WAY IT'S GOTTA BE.
AND WE'RE EXTREMELY FORTUNATE TO HAVE A DISTRICT ATTORNEY THAT IS LOCKTE WITH US, THAT WILL AGGRESSIVELY PROSECUTE THESE CRIMINALS THAT WE BRING INTO HIS COURTROOM.
UM, WE WORK TOGETHER AS ONE TEAM.
IT'S NOT A SHERIFF'S OFFICE, A DA'S OFFICE, AND A PD.
AND THAT'S THE WAY IT HAS TO BE.
SO ONCE AGAIN, OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU IS WE ARE GONNA MAKE THESE NEIGHBORHOODS SAFE.
AND MY MESSAGE TO THESE CRIMINALS AND GANG BANGERS, THIS IS NOT THE PLACE TO DO IT.
YOU NEED TO STOP IT IMMEDIATELY.
THE KILLING OF THESE YOUNG CHILDREN IS UNACCEPTABLE.
WE'RE SICK AND TIRED OF IT, AND WE'RE GONNA BE HANDLING BUSINESS.
SO YOU WILL SEE A LOT OF MY DEPUTIES PAIRED UP WITH HIS OFFICERS RIDING THE STREETS, UM, TO THE LAW
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ABIDING CITIZENS.WE ARE HERE FOR YOU TO THE CRIMINALS.
GUESS WHAT, WE'RE HERE FOR YOU AS WELL.
UM, I DO WANT TO THANK MY COUNTY MANAGER AND MY COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER SMITH, FOR BEING HERE.
'CAUSE WITHOUT THEIR SUPPORT, I WOULD NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT I NEED TO BE ABLE TO PARTNER UP WITH DUPER.
THEY ALWAYS GIVE US EVERYTHING WE NEED, WHETHER IT'S SROS IN OUR SCHOOLS, WHICH BY THE WAY, WE HAVE 'EM IN EVERY SCHOOL IN THE COUNTY.
UH, SOME OF 'EM TOO, BECAUSE THEY REALIZE THAT THESE CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE AND THEY'RE OUR GREATEST ASSETS, AND WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROTECT 'EM.
THEY HAVE NEVER SAID NO TO ME, AND THEY'VE ALWAYS GIVEN ME THE RESOURCES THAT I NEED.
SO CHIEF, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNWAVERED SUPPORT, SCOTT, FOR PROSECUTING THESE CRIMINALS AND THE FOLKS THAT WE ARE SENDING AWAY, THE BAD FOLKS THAT WE'RE SENDING AWAY TO MAKE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD SAFER.
SO AT THIS TIME, I WANT TO INTRODUCE OUR, UH, HONORABLE SCOTT THOMAS, OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE WITH YOU AND TO THE CITIZENS OF NEW CRAVEN COUNTY TO TALK ABOUT A CHALLENGE THAT WE ALL FACE AND WE MUST FACE TOGETHER.
UH, WE OFTEN TALK THAT IN ORDER TO FIGHT A CRIME AND VIOLENCE, GUNS, GANGS IN OUR COUNTY, IN OUR, IN OUR CITY, IT REQUIRES A COORDINATED EFFORT.
WE, IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PROSECUTION REALIZE THAT WE CANNOT DO IT ALL ALONE.
UH, WE CAN DEAL WITH IT WHEN IT GETS TO THE POINT THAT IT IS NOW IN TERMS OF THE OFFENSES BEING COMMITTED AND THE ARREST, THE INVESTIGATIONS AND PROSECUTIONS.
BUT IT STARTS WAY BEFORE THAT.
IT STARTS WITH COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND NOT JUST COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
WHEN I SAY COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, I'M TALKING ABOUT FAMILIES.
I'M TALKING ABOUT CHURCHES, I'M TALKING ABOUT SCHOOLS.
I'M TALKING ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT.
I'M TALKING ABOUT PROSECUTION.
SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE COMMIT IN MY OFFICE TO CONTINUE TO WORK ALONG WITH THE CHIEF AND THE SHERIFF AND OUR COMMUNITY TO KEEP DOING THE THINGS THAT, THAT WE'RE DOING TO MAKE, UH, SAFER COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE HEAR ABOUT SECOND CHANCES AND FOR PEOPLE, YOUNG FOLKS AND YOUNG OFFENDERS, AND UNFORTUNATELY SOME OF THE NAMES, THE VERY NAMES THAT THE CHIEF MENTIONED TODAY ARE FOLKS THAT I PERSONALLY WORKED WITH TO TRY TO GIVE THEM SECOND CHANCES AS THEY WERE YOUNGER AND COMING ALONG.
SO YOU CAN REST ASSURED THAT IN THE, IN THIS DISTRICT, WE WORK WITH YOUNG OFFENDERS TO TRY TO GIVE THEM SECOND CHANCES, BUT ONCE THEY'VE HAD THAT SECOND CHANCE AND THEN CONTINUE ALONG A PATH OF VIOLENCE, UH, THAT ENDANGERS THEMSELVES AND THEY ENDANGERS THEIR FAMILIES, THEN AS THE SHERIFF AND THE CHIEF HAS MENTIONED, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS IN TERMS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PROSECUTION.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING.
AS THE CHIEF MENTIONED, WE PARTNERED MY OFFICE, PARTNERED WITH THE US ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, UH, TWO YEARS AGO TO FORM VCAP, WHICH IS THE VIOLENT CRIME ACTION PLAN FOR NEW BERN AND CRAVEN COUNTY.
AND PROSECUTORS IN MY OFFICE AND THE US ATTORNEY'S OFFICE MEET WITH OUR LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS ON A MONTHLY BASIS TO IDENTIFY VIOLENT OFFENDERS IN OUR AREA AND TO COORDINATE INVESTIGATIONS, ARREST AND PROSECUTIONS FOR THOSE OFFENDERS.
AND WE'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN THAT.
WE'VE TAKEN A LOT OF OFFENDERS OFF THE STREETS AND THEY'RE NOW SERVING LONG PRISON SENTENCES IN OUR STATE PRISON AND IN FEDERAL PRISONS.
AND THAT IN AND OF ITSELF HAS PREVENTED A LOT OF VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND VCAP WILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE.
WE JUST HAD A, A, A MEETING YESTERDAY AND WE'RE WORKING AS WE SPEAK ON THOSE ITEMS. UM, THIS PAST WEEKEND, UH, SOME OF THE EVENTS THAT OCCURRED.
AND I WANT TO COMMEND OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT, OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND SHERIFF'S OFFICE BECAUSE IN ORDER FOR US TO HAVE A GOOD CASE TO PROSECUTE, TO GET A SUCCESSFUL PROSECUTION, A CONVICTION, AND A LONG PRISON SENTENCE IN STATE OR FEDERAL COURT, AND KIM DIXON FROM THE RAISE YOUR HAND THERE, KIM, IF YOU WILL, FROM THE US ATTORNEY'S OFFICES HERE AND ASSISTANT US ATTORNEY WHO PARTNERS WITH US ON THESE CASES, IN ORDER FOR US TO GET A SUCCESSFUL PROSECUTION CONVICTION, LONG SENTENCE, WE HAVE TO HAVE GOOD CASES.
AND THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO HAVE PROFESSIONAL, WELL-TRAINED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IN OUR AREA.
AND WE'RE FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE THAT.
THE EVENT THAT HAPPENED, UH, THIS PAST WEEKEND, WHICH WAS A SHOOTING AND A MURDER WITHIN 24 HOURS, LAW ENFORCEMENT HAD IDENTIFIED SUSPECTS AND HAD CONTACTED ME FOR AUTHORIZATION TO ISSUE ARREST WARRANTS FOR THE SHOOTINGS AND FOR THE MURDER THAT OCCURRED.
AND WE HAD THOSE, UH, ACTIVE WARRANTS IN THE SYSTEM FOR THEM TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT.
THE US MARSHAL SERVICE STEPPED IN TO HELP.
AND AS THE CHIEF MENTIONED YESTERDAY, THOSE INDIVIDUALS, THOSE TWO INDIVIDUALS WERE, UH, LOCATED IN GREENSBORO, TAKEN INTO CUSTODY.
AND THEY'LL BE TRANSPORTED BACK TO CRAVEN COUNTY FOR THEIR FELONY FIRST APPEARANCE NEXT WEEK.
THE SHOOTING THAT WE HAD ONE NIGHT THIS WEEK HERE IN NEWBURN, WITHIN AN HOUR OR TWO LAW ENFORCEMENT HAD IDENTIFIED THE SUSPECTS
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HAD TAKEN THEM INTO CUSTODY.AND THOSE TWO DEFENDANTS ARE SITTING IN THE CRAVEN COUNTY, UH, DETENTION FACILITY UNDER $2 MILLION BOND.
SO WE, IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PROSECUTION, WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO ADDRESS THESE INSTANCES OF VIOLENCE WHEN THEY OCCUR.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU, MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, AND THIS IS THE BEST TURNOUT I THINK I'VE EVER SEEN WHEN WE'VE HAD A PRESS CONFERENCE OF THIS NATURE, UH, ARE COMMITTED TO DOING THE SAME THING BECAUSE YOU HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN IT.
YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THE, THAT THE, THAT THE CHILDREN WHO ARE BEING KILLED HERE ARE, ARE YOUR CHILDREN, YOUR GRANDCHILDREN, YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS.
AND IT REALLY PAINS ME TO KNOW THAT SOME OF THESE YOUNG MEN WHO WERE INVOLVED IN THE INSTANCES OVER THE LAST WEEK OR TWO, EITHER AS VICTIMS OR AS DEFENDANTS WERE AS RECENTLY OR AS TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO, WERE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS PLAYING ON SPORT TEAMS BEING SUCCESSFUL.
SOME HAD OUTSTANDING SCHOLARSHIP OFFERS TO PLAY SPORTS IN COLLEGE AND, AND HOW IN THE WORLD YOU WALK AWAY FROM THAT TO BEING A GAME.
BUT FOR SOME REASON IT HAPPENS.
AND I THINK WE'VE GOT TO UNDERSTAND BETTER WHY THAT HAPPENS AND DO WHAT'S NECESSARY, UH, AS A COMMUNITY, UH, AS LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PROSECUTORS TO STOP THAT IN THE FUTURE.
SO AS DISTRICT ATTORNEY, I COMMIT TO YOU THAT MY OFFICE, ALONG WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT WILL NOT TOLERATE THIS TYPE OF VIOLENT BEHAVIOR IN OUR STREETS INVOLVING GUNS, GANGS, AND VIOLENCE.
AND THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, THE STATE LEVEL, LEVEL, AND THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO IDENTIFY THE OFFENDERS, TO HAVE THEM INVESTIGATED, ARRESTED, PROSECUTED.
AND THEN WE WILL DETERMINE WHERE WE CAN GET THE LONGEST PRISON SENTENCE.
IF IT'S IN STATE COURT, WE'LL PROCEED STATE COURT.
IF IT'S IN FEDERAL COURT, THEN WE'LL PROCEED THROUGH THE US ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THEY WILL GO TO FEDERAL PRISON FOR A LONG TIME.
AND AT LEAST WE KNOW WHEN THOSE OFFENDERS ARE TAKEN OFF THE STREETS, THAT OUR COMMUNITY WILL BE SAFER.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY TO SHOW YOUR INTEREST AND CONCERN ABOUT THIS CRISIS THAT IS FACING OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU SHERIFF HUGHES AND MR. THOMAS.
UM, BEFORE I GO ANY FURTHER, I NEGLECTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALDERMAN KENZIE, UH, IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, SIR.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE, UH, REVEREND JOHNSON AND MEMBERS OF THE NAACP FOR ALSO BEING HERE.
UH, NOW LET ME OUTLINE, UH, WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT MOVING FORWARD.
I AM GOING TO RECAP SOME OF WHAT THE SHERIFF HAS ALREADY TALKED ABOUT.
UH, FIRST, WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THOSE THAT LIVE IN THE AFFECTED AREAS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE BULK OF THE VIOLENCE AS DESCRIBED EARLIER, ARE LAW, LAW ABIDING CITIZENS WHO SIMPLY WANT TO RAISE THEIR FAMILIES IN A SAFE, SECURE, UM, UH, UH, ENVIRONMENT FREE OF CRIME AND VIOLENCE.
A BALANCING THE RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS REMAINS THE CORNERSTONES OF HOW WE YIELD GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY.
YOU WILL NOTICE MORE UNIFORMED LAW ENFORCEMENT PRESENCE THAT IS INTENDED TO CREATE A SENSE OF CALM AND SAFETY.
BUT THOSE OFFICERS ARE THERE FOR PURPOSE AND THEY WILL TAKE THE APPROPRIATE LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTION TO ABATE VIOLENCE.
WHAT YOU WILL NOT SEE, BUT WILL EQUALLY BE PRESENT IN THE COMMUNITY OR THE UNDERCOVER AND COVERT OPERATIONS THAT WILL OCCUR.
OUR CONTINUED EFFORTS TO ABATE VIOLENCE WILL BE UTILIZED IN A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT METHODS.
AGAIN, WE WILL LEVERAGE EVERY LEGAL AVENUE TO BUILD THE CASES THAT THE DA HAS DESCRIBED.
WE CALL ON EVERYONE TO JOIN US IN A COLLECTIVE EFFORT TO MAKE NEWBURN A SAFER PLACE TO LIVE, WORK, AND VISIT.
IF YOU HAVE INFORMATION, PLEASE GET IN CONTACT WITH US.
THE NEW BERN POLICE DEPARTMENT NON-EMERGENCY NUMBER IS 2 5 2 6 3 3 2 0 2 0.
ANONYMOUS TIPS ARE ALSO, UH, WANTED AND WELCOMED.
AND YOU CAN CONTACT CRAVEN COUNTY CRIME STOPPERS AT 2 5 2 6 3 3 5 1 4 1 OR THE NEW BERN POLICE DEPARTMENT'S GANG VIOLENT TIP LINE AT 2 5 2 6 3 6 5 0 3 4.
IF YOU WITNESS ACTS OF VIOLENCE IMMEDIATELY, CALL 9 1 1 AND PROVIDE AS MUCH DETAIL AS YOU CAN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
PRESENT TODAY IN THE ROOM IS MS. BARBARA
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GASKINS.UH, WITH WHOM WE HAVE BEEN COLLABORATING WITH FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS.
UM, IN AN ATTEMPT TO TRY TO ABATE THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE, MS. GASKINS HAS BEEN WORKING TO DEVELOP A GRASSROOTS INITIATIVE IN NEW BERN AIMED AT BREAKING THE THE CYCLE OF GAIN RECRUITMENT.
HER PROGRAM ENTITLED CREDIBLE MESSENGER IS ONE OPTION THAT MAY HELP ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES WE ARE FACING.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH MS. GASKINS AND OTHERS WHO ARE COMMITTED TO ENDING YOUTH VIOLENCE, PARTICULARLY THOSE INVOLVING GANG MEMBERSHIP.
I WANT TO END BY STATING THAT WE WILL NOT TAKE QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
WE ARE VERY GUARDED BY THE NEED TO ENSURE THAT ANY STATEMENT MADE BY LAW ENFORCEMENT DOES NOT COMPROMISE OUR ONGOING CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS AND FUTURE PROSECUTIONS.
PRIVATE CITIZENS PRESENT TODAY MAY CHOOSE TO SPEAK TO THE PRESS AND THE MEDIA AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THEY DECIDE THEY WISH TO PROVIDE.
I LEAVE THIS TO THE DISCRETION OF THOSE I'VE INTRODUCED EARLIER OR ANYBODY ELSE IN THE ROOM.
I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR PURPOSE WAS TO.
WE WANTED TO CALM THE COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE CONTEXT INTO WHAT HAS HAPPENED OVER THE PAST THREE WEEKS, UH, WHAT HAS BEEN DONE, WHAT WILL BE DONE.
AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL TURN THE CORNER AND BRING THIS COMMUNITY BACK TO A SENSE OF SAFETY.
SO I THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.