The city of Macon is seeing a dramatic rise in gang violence. Tuesday morning alone, eight people were shot. Meanwhile, four teenage boys are recovering following shootings three weeks ago. A fifth shooting victim, 16-year-old Arquentris Fountain died. The city, parents, and young people say they’ve had enough.

High school student Iman Jimenez was waiting for the school bus in late August when bullets starting raining down on the group of students. 
“Everybody ran. I ran. I ran behind the house and then just let the car pass and then my bus had came so we just got on the bus and then we left.”

The soft-spoken 16 year old says now the kids at the bus stop are frightened every time a car drives by.

And 17-year old senior William Harrison says they have reason to be, because he’s seen the violence escalate as kids – in his words – “compete” to carry out more violent crimes. Two of his childhood friends just received life sentences in prison for killing another teen in 2010.

“I think some people think it’s a game. Some people think oh, that’s not going to happen to me or they’re not going to do that. But, once it gets to you…you’re caught.”

“Stop the killing. Because it has gone too far. How many caskets got to roll?"

Charles Hays Junior is the father of four sons. He says they’re scared to ride the bus or sit on their porch at night.
Hays was among a crowd of anxious parents who packed a recent town hall meeting prompted by the violence.
Macon Mayor Robert Reichert told the crowd he shares their feelings.

“The level of frustration and concern is evident in this community. All I can tell you is we’re committed to do something about it. But, I cannot wave a magic wand. I do not have a silver bullet.”

What he will do is focus on intervention and prevention, increasing law enforcement with help from state and federal agencies to stop the type of gang activity rampant in Macon.

“Hybrid gangs are not associated as we understand it with national gangs. But they are instead groups of individuals from the same geographic area of our town and they deal in gang activity.”

Reichert says they also plan to partner with schools and churches to expand youth programs.

But 24-year old Danny Glover, who grew up five doors down from the latest murder victim, told the mayor you have to speak with the kids in gangs to effect any real change.

“Why don’t y’all grab one person and bring them to a meeting. Why can’t you go and grab one gang member and bring them to a meeting and sit and talk to them face to face about their problems. We talk about buy in with the police, with the community, but when are we going to get them to buy into it.”

17-year old William Harrison agrees and says for any real change to occur kids have to be a part of the solution and adults have to have higher expectations than jail for troubled teens.

“People really coming together and making a difference and changing Macon as a whole. Cause it has to. It can’t just start with a whole lot of people. It has to maybe start with maybe one or two people and then they can get more people and then it will blossom into something big, something special.”

Both shootings have yielded multiple arrests. The FBI and the U.S. Marshalls service are working with local authorities to solve these cases and to prevent more.

You can hear Josephine’s extended interview with 17-year-old William Harrison below.

Tags: Macon, gang violence, Arquentris Fountain