PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - Providence officials are grappling with an uptick in gun violence this month compared to recent years.
Police Chief Hugh Clements said that as of Friday nine people had been shot so far in 2018. That’s the highest number of shootings during this time period since 2014. Two people have been killed.
Clements say some of the violence is connected to gangs and some stems from personal disputes. Clements says that sometimes the city experiences “hot zones,” when there are a spate of shootings in a certain time period.
Clements says officers have seized 14 guns this month, including several that were reported stolen.
City Council President David Salvatore says city leaders have a responsibility to “get to the root cause of violence in the city.”
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