MARIANNA, Ark. – 52-hours is how long one Mid-South community will be under a State of Emergency. The reason for that emergency, city leaders said, is an increase in gun violence.
A curfew and emergency order went into effect at 8 p.m. Friday in Marianna, Arkansas.
The curfew is a joint effort between City Council, the Marianna Police Department, the Arkansas State Police Department and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
“We can’t even ride down the street without somebody wanting to shoot. That’s crazy,” one Marianna resident shared with our team anonymously about the curfew.
“I’m glad. They need to catch whoever been doing all this shooting down here because at 4 o’clock and 4:30 Wednesday about 42-50 shots went off and all them kids was on the playground playing basketball.”
You may recall FOX13 also visited Marianna earlier this month when a 2-year-old was shot while playing near an apartment complex in the 200 Block of Sealand Street. According to Arkansas State Police, the shooting occurred when two people had a fight outside the complex.
“That was messed up, so they need to do something about kids getting shot,” said Edward Moonie of Marianna.
Marianna city leaders cite a “significant and troubling increase in gun violence” as the reason for the 52-hour State of Emergency. However, despite the urgency from local officials, FOX13 encountered mixed reactions from residents.
“The curfew is just going to create more problems if you ask me,” one Marianna native said.
“Well, I’ll be in anyway. I’m 60-years-old,” another resident told us.
The statement from the Marianna City Council goes on to say in part, “The rise in gun-related incidents poses an immediate threat to the welfare of our community and this measure is necessary to address the crisis immediately.”
The State of Emergency is set from 8 p.m. Friday, March 29th thru Sunday, March 31st at midnight.
During the emergency, the following will be in place:
A mandatory curfew for all non-essential personnel will be enforced from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
All public gatherings, including outdoor events, are suspended during this period to ensure public safety
Increased Law Enforcement
Residents urged to stay indoors during curfew
Report suspicious activities/emergencies to police @ 870-295-2508
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