Wednesday, Mayor LaToya Cantrell said there were no homicides in New Orleans the week of June 4-10. “There was not one. Not even one homicide last week. Murders are down 21 percent,” Cantrell said during her weekly news conference.When asked, the mayor attributed the crime reduction to new development strategies plus the recent arrests of at least five teens from a group called “No Hospital Gang.” “What that means is they do not want you to go to the hospital. They want you to die. It’s very concerning to me. I will be meeting with their parents. I have also requested a meeting with these young people,” Cantrell said.But crime analysts across the city, including Dr. Peter Scharf, said there were at least two people killed in New Orleans last week. It’s even stated in the NOPD preliminary crime stats. Scharf said, “There were two murders last week. This week there were three. It may be ending- the murder surge. But not yet. You cannot overstate the progress that’s been made.”Scharf also believes it is unlikely that any type of enforcement, such as the arrest of five teens, could change the numbers that quickly. Cantrell also said the numbers of aggravated battery, property theft and carjackings were also down from this same time last year. These stats are shown on the city council’s Crime Dashboard. Scharf said crime in the city should be looked at from a larger perspective. “We are at 117 murders so far this year. Thats high. We are not even halfway through the year. It is a little less than last year, but why compare ourselves to last year? It was the highest murder rate in the history of the country,” Scharf said. During her weekly news conference, Cantrell also announced that more guns had been taken off this year versus last year.The mayor also announced the city’s investment in several mental health services in trying to address public safety as a matter of public health.Cantrell said she recently signed two CEAs for the Children’s Bureau and Healing Minds NOLA in providing services for the less vulnerable, specifically the youth. The investment is about $10 million over a three-year period. Cantrell also mentioned the city’s very first Teen Festival is set to take place Saturday beginning at 11 a.m. at the Lafitte Greenway as a way of giving teens a positive outlet. Teens interested in attending are encouraged to visit the city’s website and register.
Wednesday, Mayor LaToya Cantrell said there were no homicides in New Orleans the week of June 4-10.
“There was not one. Not even one homicide last week. Murders are down 21 percent,” Cantrell said during her weekly news conference.
When asked, the mayor attributed the crime reduction to new development strategies plus the recent arrests of at least five teens from a group called “No Hospital Gang.”
“What that means is they do not want you to go to the hospital. They want you to die. It’s very concerning to me. I will be meeting with their parents. I have also requested a meeting with these young people,” Cantrell said.
But crime analysts across the city, including Dr. Peter Scharf, said there were at least two people killed in New Orleans last week. It’s even stated in the NOPD preliminary crime stats.
Scharf said, “There were two murders last week. This week there were three. It may be ending- the murder surge. But not yet. You cannot overstate the progress that’s been made.”
Scharf also believes it is unlikely that any type of enforcement, such as the arrest of five teens, could change the numbers that quickly.
Cantrell also said the numbers of aggravated battery, property theft and carjackings were also down from this same time last year. These stats are shown on the city council’s Crime Dashboard.
Scharf said crime in the city should be looked at from a larger perspective.
“We are at 117 murders so far this year. Thats high. We are not even halfway through the year. It is a little less than last year, but why compare ourselves to last year? It was the highest murder rate in the history of the country,” Scharf said.
During her weekly news conference, Cantrell also announced that more guns had been taken off this year versus last year.
The mayor also announced the city’s investment in several mental health services in trying to address public safety as a matter of public health.
Cantrell said she recently signed two CEAs for the Children’s Bureau and Healing Minds NOLA in providing services for the less vulnerable, specifically the youth. The investment is about $10 million over a three-year period.
Cantrell also mentioned the city’s very first Teen Festival is set to take place Saturday beginning at 11 a.m. at the Lafitte Greenway as a way of giving teens a positive outlet. Teens interested in attending are encouraged to visit the city’s website and register.
