SALEM, Ore. (KOIN) — A new report is revealing a rise in gun violence in Salem, and Mayor Chris Hoy wants to get community leaders to draw up ways to reduce shootings.
The Salem Violence Problem Analysis report, produced by the Salem Police Department and Marion County District Attorney’s Office, found shootings in Oregon’s capital city have doubled in the last five years.
From January 2018 to June 2023, 86 incidents involving 102 victims were reported in Salem, according to the report. Of that, there were 18 homicides with 36 “unique victims or identified suspects,” and then 68 non-fatal shootings involving “114 unique identified victims or suspects.” The report did not include the number of shooting cases involving self-defense, confirmed self-inflictions or officer-involved shootings.
Troy Gregg, Marion County Juvenile Director, says the report shows a problem with adults and youth, but the numbers at the county’s juvenile detention center have gone up.
“We’ve doubled our detention population in the last year,” Gregg said. “And so we haven’t had typically before, you’re averaging pre-, post-COVID, 12 to 14 youth and that we’re up into the mid-20s right now with kids and a majority of those kids have weapon-related charges.”
Nearly half of these cases have group and gang involvement, according to the analysis.
“Right now, kids are wandering in and being drawn into the group gang lifestyle,” Gregg said. “That’s what seems to be driving what’s going on with us here in Salem.”
According to analysis, at least 69% of the victims and suspects had prior criminal justice system contact.
During a Salem City Council work session dedicated to finding solutions to fight the trend, recommendations included:
- Address high-risk groups/gangs
- Identify and engage very high-risk people
- Focus on high-risk places
- Strengthen criminal justice system partnerships
“It’s about partnering with people in the community and the community programs and ultimately for youth, it’s getting them into some good mentorship programs, some good activity programs, so that they have stuff they can do instead of kind of spreading out,” Gregg said.
Gregg added that the analysis only covered gun violence cases up to the first half of 2023, and that he’s seen an increase from between then and now.
KOIN 6 News reached out to the mayor’s office on what community members will take part in the efforts to combat the rise in gun violence, but have yet to hear back.
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