Omaha’s police chief said he was redeploying resources to bring a “spike” in gun violence under control. Chief Todd Schmaderer said the spate of shootings and murders in August does not represent a criminal trend. Three other people were shot dead overnight. First, officers found Marquez Booth, 30, injured near 56th Street and Ames Avenue. Colita Sutton, 32, told police the shots hit her as she walked through the area. About 20 minutes later, officers responded to 25th and Ellison streets. Police have located 37-year-old Elmas Williams, who has life-threatening injuries, authorities say. Schmaderer called the most recent shootings “worrying” because they could be retaliatory. say there is hope. “We have an obligation to treat them outside the hospital as much as we treat them inside the hospital,” said Ashley Ferrans, violence response supervisor for Encompass. “These injuries, they affect a little more than physically.” Encompass treats victims of violence while they are in hospital, but specialists like Alberto Gonzales stay with survivors as they reintegrate into the community. “I very much identify with what these kids are saying, I’ve been through and been through a lot of things that they’ve been through,” Gonzales said. Encompass studies symptoms, such as a family history of abuse or affiliation with a gang, and the cure – like helping people find housing or healing.” Who wants their children to walk in these footsteps? Not me. And I made sure I broke that vicious circle,” Gonzales said. But this month, that cycle of violence permeates six Omaha homicides — including three non-fatal shootings the same morning KETV NewsWatch 7 met with Encompass. Omaha reported 32 homicides last year In the first half of this year there were 13. Schmaderer said anti-violence efforts were working, and he said they were working to bring violence the more that we have these spikes we live in a city of half a million people is going to have these opportunities i just don’t want this to derail our thinking process about our approach and the strategy that we used because it still works,” Schmaderer said. KETV NewsWatch 7 set out to get answers this week on what is being done to deal with this recent spike in violence. On Tuesday, KETV NewsWatch 7 reached out to Mayor Jean Stothert’s office for comment and was asked to contact Omaha Police. For two days, KETV NewsWatch 7 has requested an interview — a captain will be made available on Thursday to answer questions.
Omaha’s police chief said he was redeploying resources to bring a “spike” in gun violence under control.
Chief Todd Schmaderer said the spate of shootings and murders in August does not represent a criminal trend.
Three other people were shot dead overnight. First, officers found Marquez Booth, 30, injured near 56th Street and Ames Avenue. Colita Sutton, 32, told police that gunshots hit her as she walked through the area.
About 20 minutes later, officers responded to 25th and Ellison streets. Police have located 37-year-old Elmas Williams, who has life-threatening injuries, authorities said.
Schmaderer called the most recent shootings “worrying” because they could be retaliatory.
Trauma specialists from Nebraska Medicine said it has been a trying week, although they say there is hope.
“We have an obligation to treat them outside the hospital as much as we treat them inside the hospital,” said Ashley Ferrans, violence response supervisor for Encompass. “These injuries, they just affect more than physical.”
Encompass treats victims of violence while they are in hospital, but specialists like Alberto Gonzales stay with survivors as they reintegrate into the community.
“I identify a lot with what these kids are saying, I’ve been through and been through a lot of things that they’ve been through,” Gonzales said.
Encompass studies symptoms, such as a family history of violence or gang affiliation, and cure, such as helping people find housing while they recover.
“Who wants their kids to walk in those footsteps? Not me. And I made sure to break that vicious circle,” Gonzales said.
But this month, that cycle of violence permeates six Omaha homicides — including three non-fatal shootings the same morning KETV NewsWatch 7 met with Encompass.
Omaha reported 32 homicides last year. In the first half of this year, there were 13.
Schmaderer said the anti-violence efforts were working, and he said they were working to get the violence under control.
“It’s the same game plan that we’ve used successfully time and time again because we have these spikes, we live in a city of half a million people that’s going to have these chances, I just don’t want to let it derail our thinking process about our approach and the strategy we used because it still works,” Schmaderer said.
KETV NewsWatch 7 set out to get answers this week on what is being done to deal with this recent spike in violence.
On Tuesday, KETV NewsWatch 7 reached out to Mayor Jean Stothert’s office for comment and was asked to contact Omaha Police.
For two days, KETV NewsWatch 7 has requested an interview — a captain will be made available on Thursday to answer questions.