Donations increase to halt violence
By Rochelle Moore
Published in News on August 7, 2016 1:45 AM
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News-Argus/FROM STAFF REPORTS
A news conference is held on the steps of City Hall on Friday to announce increases in rewards for information about violent crimes in the city and county.
The city of Goldsboro's five unsolved homicides this year have captured $50,000 in state grants and $25,000 in local donations targeted to solve and reduce the string of violence in the city.
Mayor Chuck Allen said Friday, during a press conference on the steps of City Hall, that an outpouring of local donations -- within 10 minutes on Wednesday -- now provide the Goldsboro Wayne Crime Stoppers with an additional $5,000 for each case.
Crime Stoppers payouts are now increased from $1,000 to $6,000 and will be paid to anyone with information leading to a felony arrest in each case, Allen said. The Governor's Crime Commission, at the direction of Gov. Pat McCrory, will also provide the Goldsboro Police Department and Wayne County Sheriff's Office each with $25,000 to combat gang violence, the governor's office announced in a press release late Friday.
"We want our citizens and the press and folks to know that we're very serious about this, and we're working very hard through all our partners to change some of the things that we don't like that are going on in our community," Allen said. "We've got five murders that aren't solved, and none of those are good. Within probably 10 minutes, we got enough donations to create a special fund through Crime Stoppers. This is hugely important that we get some leads in these cases, and we're going to solve all five of these murders."
LOCAL
CONTRIBUTIONS
During a Monday Goldsboro City Council meeting, Allen suggested private support for increasing the Crime Stoppers threshold payment of $1,000. By Wednesday, city efforts were backed with $25,000 in pledged donations from six local businesses, individuals, the Friends of Seymour Johnson AFB and the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee, Allen said.
The mayor said the names of the contributors will remain private. Allen confirmed that he donated an undisclosed amount to the cause.
"Yes, I did donate," Allen said. "Number one, it's very important to me. But, equally, when we were asking other people to donate, the first question somebody's going to ask you is, 'Are you doing it?'
"I wanted to be able to say I was doing it, just like other people were doing it."
The $6,000 Crime Stoppers rewards went into effect Friday morning. Additional donations are still being accepted and can be made to the Crime Stoppers program or by contacting the mayor's office or Goldsboro Police Department.
Anyone with information on any of the unsolved homicides can call Crime Stoppers at 735-2255 or text 222-4230, Allen said.
"I want to be sure that people know they can still give to Crime Stoppers and still support this effort, and we can raise more money," Allen said. "We just touched the iceberg, in my opinion, of people that are willing to give."
SHOW OF
SUPPORT
The Friday press conference, which officials estimate drew close to 150 people to downtown Goldsboro, included remarks from Goldsboro Police Chief Mike West, Wayne County Sheriff Larry Pierce, and Col. Christopher Sage, 4th Fighter Wing commander at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.
Also in attendance were several Alcohol Law Enforcement officers and members of the Governor's Crime Commission.
"The violence that's occurring in this city is unacceptable, and with eight murders this year, two of those have occurred within the last three weeks," West said. "Five of those murders are currently unsolved, and my investigators are working diligently to solve those cases.
"I took and oath 24 years ago to protect and serve in my community, and I'm just as determined now as I was back in 1992 to fulfill that oath. All of my officers took the same oath as I did, and they are just as determined as I am."
STATE BACKING
David Huffman, executive director of the Governor's Crime Commission, was directed by the governor late Thursday to have in place a program to support Goldsboro's efforts in combating crime.
By the time he arrived, he was able to tell Goldsboro officials the police department will receive the $25,000 Governor's Crime Commission grant.
The commission also plans to provide other support, including the possibility of grants so the police department can add cameras, with microphones, to telephone poles in high crime areas, Huffman said.
"This town here is going to have the full support from the governor's office, including the (State Bureau of Investigation), the ALE and the U.S. Marshals Service," Huffman told the Goldsboro News-Argus. McCrory's office issued a press release late Friday announcing the police grant as well as another $25,000 Governor's Crime Commission grant for the Wayne County Sheriff's Office. The grants can be used for overtime pay and equipment to enhance efforts by law enforcement to solve the cases and reduce violence.
"Keeping North Carolina citizens safe is our number one priority," McCrory said. "These funds will build on our commitment to support law enforcement and make our state safer by curbing gang violence."
The governor has encouraged collaboration between federal and state partners, including the SBI and the N.C. Highway Patrol to support local efforts already underway.
The Governor's Crime Commission recently offered similar support to Rocky Mount, where collaboration has already reduced gang violence, according to the governor's office.
GANG ACTIVITY
The deadly shootings in Goldsboro this year are also leading local officials to connect gang violence to several of the cases.
Allen said the deadly violence is the biggest issue facing the Goldsboro community.
"I'm pretty sure they were gang related ... by where they happened, the way it happened, things like that," Allen said. "I think we were slow to admit that we had a gang problem here, and, I think, that kind of put us behind the curve a little bit."
The Wayne County Sheriff's Office is also assisting Goldsboro police with patrols and crime prevention.
"We've pledged our office to do whatever's necessary to work together with the Goldsboro Police Department, and we're looking forward to a good-working relationship and moving forward in preventing some of this violence," Pierce said.
The most recent fatal shooting led to the death of a senior airman, Ryan Apollo Morgan, 32, of the 4th Contracting Squadron. Morgan was gunned down July 31 along the 100 block of North Center Street. The homicide is one of the city's five unsolved cases.
AIR FORCE BASE
On behalf of the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, Sage offered words of support during the Friday press conference in Goldsboro.
"Of the nearly 6,000 active duty and reserve airmen currently assigned to Seymour Johnson, more than 80 percent live off the installation," Sage said. "They are your neighbors, friends and fellow stewards of this community. When a tragedy occurs in this town, it affects all of us. Whether it is a local citizen or an airman assigned to the base, as neighbors and friends, we mourn them together.
"We stand here today on behalf of all of Seymour Johnson's airmen and their families to reaffirm our commitment and support for the city of Goldsboro and Wayne County, just as you support us day in and day out."
UNSOLVED CASES
Three of the five unsolved slayings, all which involved gunfire, occurred in July. One happened in March and another in February.
On July 22, Atiya Maddox, 19, was fatally shot near the intersection of Olivia Lane and Slaughter Street. Officers have said she was caught in the crossfire of a shoot-out in the neighborhood.
On July 1, Montez Lamar Wilson, 17, was shot on Holly Street, between Daisy and Waters streets, and pronounced dead at the scene.
Quentin Lamont Kenon, 28, was fatally shot outside a residence at 448 Seymour Drive on March 15. Julius Isiah Bryant, 27, was fatally shot along the 400 block of South John Street on Feb. 7.