Increase in homicides over the past two years – including three murders in seven hours.
A recent spike in Greensboro homicides has captivated the concern and attention of Greensboro Police Department.
In the latest, on May 4, a man walked up to the victim outside the J.C. Penny entrance of Four Seasons Town Center. An argument allegedly ensued and the victim was shot.
In 2016, Guilford County, Greensboro and High Point saw 43 homicides last year – or approximately 3.6 homicides per month. In 2015, that number was 37.
So far this year, Greensboro alone has seen 13 homicides in just 4 months – an average of 3.25 per month. This means the monthly average for Greensboro has already almost reached the average for the entire county in 2016 and surpassed 2015. And there’s eight months to go in the year.
There have been two murders at Four Seasons Town Center – both shockingly in broad daylight, and at least one which was partially caught on surveillance cameras.
Notably, on April 24, Greensboro Police Department responded to three homicides in seven hours – at 4:20 p.m., 8:45 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. The third of these homicides occurred on the N.C. Agricultural and Technical State University campus. The victim, Vic Kimeko James, was found shot near Pride Hall, and was later taken to the hospital, where he dies of his injuries. (James was not a student of the university.) According to reports, in that incident a man, armed with a handgun, and a woman had an altercation. Police later found James suffering from a gunshot wound.
The three murders in seven hours taxed the police department, which is struggling with a shortage of officers. There are some 60-some vacancies in the department. And there have been a number of resignations in the past months.
In a video posted on the News & Record website, Greensboro Police Chief Wayne Scott expressed concern about the situation.