KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Knoxville leaders are taking new measures to curb violence in the community after September saw a string a deadly shootings just days apart from each other.
In September, Knoxville police began investigating six separate homicide cases that occurred just 11 days apart from each other from September 10 to 20.
The six shootings killed five men and a woman. Knoxville Police Chief Eve Thomas said she could not release many details in the ongoing investigations, but said they have ample reason to believe gang activity -- both from within Knoxville as well as coming from outside the city and state -- is driving the spike in violence.
"We are more than aware of conversations happening in community and social media concerning an increase in recent gang activity," she said. "This is unsettling, to say the least, to see six fatal shootings over an 11-day period."
Here is a timeline of the shootings:
- Sept. 10: A 57-year-old woman was shot and killed in a parking lot off Kenner Avenue in East Knoxville
- Sept. 12: A 24-year-old man from Chattanooga was shot and killed, and one other was wounded, at 100 South Hall of Fame near downtown
- Sept. 17: A man was killed at Southside Flats Apartments in South Knoxville off Fort Stanley Way
- Sept. 16: A 29-year-old man was shot and killed on Lyons Way in North Knoxville
- Sept. 19: A man was shot and killed at a home off Lilac Avenue in East Knoxville
- Sept. 20: A 19-year-old man was shot and killed at a home off Dutch Valley Dr. in North Knoxville
There were at least two other shootings later in September in East Knoxville, one that wounded two men at a McDonald's off East Magnolia Avenue on September 26, and another that wounded a man at an Exxon gas station off East Magnolia Avenue the day before.
Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon, Chief Thomas, and Sixth District Representative Gwen McKenzie held a press conference Friday surrounded by Black community leaders and faith leaders to address the "deeply troubling" increase in violence and shootings -- particularly in predominantly Black communities within Knoxville.
"Public safety is my number one priority as mayor. It is not acceptable that we have neighborhoods where people are scared to go for a walk, play in the park, or go to the grocery store because of fears of gunfire. This must come to an end," Kincannon said.
Kincannon said the city is taking action by increasing police patrols and opening conversations in communities gripped by violence, while also holding town halls and conference calls. Kincannon also said the city has recommitted its pledge to Cities United, which is committed to reducing homicides and shootings among young Black men.
Chief Thomas said police have spent hundreds of hours trying to find the perpetrators and bring them to justice. She said canvassing communities and seeking leads has helped them get a clearer picture of what's going on behind the scenes, but police continue to run into situations where witnesses refuse to step forward or speak openly.
"The community needs us, and we need to community. We are asking people with information to come forward, and not tolerate what should be intolerable," she said.
Anyone with information on the shootings is encouraged to call KPD's anonymous crime hotline at (865) 215-7212 or email KPD at unsolvedmurder@knoxvilletn.gov.
Thomas also said the department is developing targeted strategies to monitor known repeat offenders in the community.
McKenzie said the city is at a tipping point right now, and that everyone needs to work together to "take back our streets" to save lives, while also providing opportunities and hope for young people to ensure they do not fall into crime or gang activity.
"We have seen violence increasing across our city, but primarily my district in East Knoxville," McKenzie said. "We have seen mothers and fathers lose children to violence, and unfortunately we've seen children losing parents as well. This must stop."
McKenzie said Safe Haven Empowerment House will be holding its first open house on Saturday, October 3 from 2 to 5 p.m. at 3010 Magnolia Avenue in Knoxville. The new organization was created specifically for young men and boys to give them a safe space rather than finding themselves in behaviors that could lead to them getting in trouble or becoming a victim of violence.
“So many of these young men experience trauma everyday just trying to survive, and we want them to know that Safe Haven House Empowerment Center is here for them," founder Lawrence Williams said.
There is also a 24-hour “Teen Crisis Hotline” available that teenagers can call if they need help or someone to talk too at (865) 334-4806.