Numerous shootings have been reported within Yazoo City over the last few weeks with the most recent incident leaving a 16-year-old dead from multiple gunshot wounds.
According to Yazoo County Coroner Ricky Shivers, Ja’monta Leandrew Mitchell, 16, was pronounced dead on the scene from multiple gunshot wounds. He said the shooting occurred around midnight last Friday in Clubview Circle.
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigations has taken over the investigation, which as of press time, had no arrests.
“Right now, MBI is assisting us,” said Mayor David Starling, during Monday’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting. “We do expect an arrest to be made soon in this last fatality we had Friday.”
Several shootings have been reported throughout the community over the last few weeks, with many of them being reported at local apartment complexes. Shivers said Lee’s death was the only fatality to report.
And with the resignation of Police Chief Kenny Hampton this week, city leaders said they are looking at what they can do to address the growing concern of crimes within the community.
“We are in communication with Homeland Security,” Starling said. “We are asking them to bring a task force in. We are looking for that task force to come in and quell this East Side, West Side nonsense that is plaguing our city.”
Starling said he doesn’t feel the recent shootings were random acts. He said most of the incidents involve juveniles and gang-related activity.
“These are targeted attacks,” Starling said. “We are in a crisis. I am not trying to lay blame. What can we do as a community to make things better? We have a cultural shift in Yazoo City. Our young people are not afraid of authority. The young people have no respect. We have an uphill battle. What is going on with our young people is discouraging. It’s sickening.”
A concerned citizen appeared before the city council Monday who said her home was struck by gunfire, leaving her child scared to even go to sleep at night.
“I don’t think I should have to live like that,” she said. “Could we get some more patrol in my area? I shouldn’t have my child crying before she goes to bed. But I am going to do what I have to do to protect my family. Yazoo City is a beautiful place, but this is getting out of control.”
Starling said the board is researching ways to offer competitive pay to attract and retain qualified police officers. Battling a shortage of manpower has been an ongoing issue within the local police department.
“We can no longer as a community stand and be silent,” Starling said. “We have a crisis of kids killing kids. This board has been in communication about raising the hourly wage of our police officers. This is not the 1970s or 1980s. We must pay people a competitive salary. We are working to try to get the right personnel in place.”
Enforcing curfew is also another option Starling said needs to be implemented immediately.
“We are in a crisis mode, but it is going to take all of us,” he said.
Alderman Jammie McCoy said it is time to revitalize the local Crimestoppers program, adding that he chose to raise his family in Yazoo City. He said the community must be saved.
“This city is in a warfare like never before with the violence going on,” added Alderman Macklyn Austin. “I don’t care if it takes every cent, the city has to pay people…there is nothing on this (city) agenda book that is more important right now than a child losing a life.”
Alderman Charlie Jenkins said he lost his own child to gun violence in the past so he understands what it feels like to get that phone call.
“That phone call telling you that your son has been shot and killed…you never get over that,” Jenkins said. “If we as a city can band together as a whole, we ought to be able to make a change. This city is in a state of emergency. We are going to have to find some help.”
