The Cause

The Issue

Gun violence is a major concern in Arizona – with gun-related deaths and injuries increasing to epidemic levels. No community, whether affluent or poor, urban, suburban, or rural, is immune from its devastating effects. However, some Arizona communities are more vulnerable to gangs, youth violence, and random gunfire than others.

The Facts in Arizona

• 959 citizens died from the misuse of firearms in 2006, up from 919 in 2005. Another 1,630 citizens sustained gunshot injuries, but survived.
• 60 children under 18 years old died from gun violence in 2006, up from 43 in 2005. Another 238 children were shot, but survived.
• Among the 60 child deaths, 27 of the guns involved were stored with ammunition, 24 of the guns involved were stored loaded. Almost a third of the guns involved (32%) belonged to the child’s parents or step-parents. According to the Arizona Child Fatality Review Board, access to guns was identified as a preventable factor in 100% of the 60 child gun deaths.
• The communities with the highest rates of gun deaths and injuries in the state (excepting Native American communities) were Central City Phoenix, South Mountain, Estrella, and Maryvale.

The Campaign

A number of law enforcement and prevention efforts are underway to reduce the impact of gun violence in Arizona. These include efforts by Arizonans for Gun Safety, Phoenix Police Department, City of Phoenix Urban Renewal Task Force, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona (through Project Safe Neighborhoods), Phoenix Fire Department and Silent Witness. In order to focus resources and address the most severe problems, these agencies started a unique partnership in 2008 to address the escalation of gun violence occurring in one specific Arizona community – South Mountain in Phoenix.

The Background

During 2007, South Mountain Precinct experienced a pronounced increase in violent crime, much of it attributed to gang activity. During the first 11 months of fiscal year 2006/2007, 62 homicides were committed in the precinct reflecting a 41% increase from the same time period during the previous fiscal year.

A significant proportion of this rampant violence was linked directly to gangs attempting to assert their authority over rival gangs. Evidence of this can be found in the brutal May 22, 2007 homicide of a 14-year-old boy at 1300 W. Cocopah at the hands of two documented gang members, a double shooting at 5000 S. 20th Avenue during the early morning hours of May 30, 2007, and the retaliation shooting at 5800 S. 13th Place that evening that left four people wounded.

Extensive crime analysis revealed that although this violence was being committed throughout the precinct, a disproportionate number of violent crimes were occurring within four distinct neighborhoods. These neighborhoods and their boundaries are as follows:

• 7-11 Fight Back Neighborhood (7th Avenue to 15th Avenue; Buckeye Road to I-17)
• Lindo Park Neighborhood (19th Avenue to 23rd Avenue; Roeser Road to Southern Avenue)
• South Vista Neighborhood (12th Street to 16th Street; Roeser Road to Southern Avenue)
• Hermoso Park Neighborhood (16th Street to 24th Street; Vineyard Road to Broadway Road)

In response, the Police Department conducted several enhanced enforcement operations to help stabilize the affected neighborhoods. In addition to these various enforcement programs, the city began working diligently to build trust and foster relationships within the community. The Police Department recognized that it couldn’t arrest its way out of this problem; it needed to partner with residents, schools, faith based organizations, business and community leaders and local government to address the root causes of this violence.

The Neighborhood Renewal Task Force was established to develop a plan to implement short-term, intermediate and long-term strategies and programs to address violent crime, blight, and overall community sustainability within the four focus areas. The Task Force recognized that, to be successful, it was necessary to employ community-building models to engage the neighborhood leadership and strengthen the sense of community.

Solutions To The Problem

During the month of June, city staff will administer residential surveys throughout the focus areas and distribute packets of useful information to connect residents to available services. Additionally, we will use this opportunity to establish resident driven Community Safety Committees, offer Phoenix Neighborhood Patrol training, and promote and encourage community participation in the Neighborhood Block Watch program.

By working with our partners and being responsive to the needs of the residents, we can foster a culture of trust and start to address those issues that have contributed to the deterioration of these storied neighborhoods. Together we will enhance the sense of community while helping to create vibrant, sustainable neighborhoods where residents feel safe and secure.