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Gulf Coast Life

Addressing Violent Crime in Fort Myers

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Robert Kuykendall via Flickr

The Fort Myers Police Department’s Semi-Annual Uniform Crime Report released this week shows a 9.7% reduction in overall crime for the first six months of 2015.  However, unsolved shootings in recent months have raised concerns among Fort Myers communities.

Last October, five-year-old Andrew Faust, Jr., was killed by a stray bullet.  12-year-old Luxury Vance survived three gunshots earlier this month while standing outside of her aunt’s Fort Myers home. Two months ago, a 17-year-old boy and his uncle were found dead outside an apartment complex.  These violent crimes have prompted Fort Myers City Councilwoman Terolyn Watson to propose a gun buy-back program.  We’ll explore the efficacy of such programs along with an effort between the Fort Myers Police Department, Mount Herman Ministries in Dunbar and Lee Memorial Health System.

Guests:

Yemisi Oloruntola-Coates, Manager of Diversity and Language Services at Lee Memorial Health System

Johnny Streets, Fort Myers City Councilman, Ward 2 and former Fort Myers Police Department Law Enforcement Officer