CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio — The mayor of Cleveland Heights says the city needs to do more to prevent violent crime after a tragic start to 2024, saying they've secured hundreds of thousands of dollars to help make an impact.
The first shot came just hours into the new year. Three days later another person was shot and killed. It's a stark contrast to Mayor Kahlil Seren's first two years in office.
The city says there was one homicide in 2022. In 2023, four people were killed, including one that was ruled self-defense.
"Just in the first week of the year," Seren said of already seeing two killings. "And that’s something I know shakes every single one of us."
The mayor believes the violence is a call to action for the people and leaders of Cleveland Heights.
"We recognize the gravity of this situation," he told 3News. "We know that if we're starting this year in this way, then we've got a lot of work to do for the rest of the year to try to mitigate some of this harm. We have to be creative, we have to be bold, and we have to try things maybe we haven't tried before because the old ways aren't working."
The city recently received $400,000 in grant funding that they plan to use to help prevent violent crime. They're also working to partner with the Cleveland Peacemaker's Alliance and to support programs that target the root causes of violence.
Seren additionally says it's a problem that cities can't handle alone, and called on state and federal leaders to do more to stop the flow of guns making it easy for kids to find firearms.
"It is made that much worse when children are involved, when young people’s lives are cut short," he said. "We need to send the right message to our kids that there is a better way, another way, to respond to conflict."
On New Year's Day, 15-year-old Narayia Thomas was shot and killed at a home on Bluestone Road. The next day, the suspect — a 14-year-old boy — turned himself into police.
Then last Thursday, authorities say someone shot and killed 22-year-old Alexander Gurley on East Overlook Road. The investigation is ongoing, and police have made no arrests in this case.
WKYC talked to neighbors shortly after Narayia's death. They expressed heartache, surprise, and frustration over the violence that happened so close to their home.
"I think people are still scared. People are concerned about what it means to live in this city. People are worried that our community, our society, is changing, and we don't have a safe space in it," Seren said Wednesday. "The most important message I can send at this point is that everybody here in this building cares."
The community may not ever know why these shootings happened, but the mayor thinks the city can do its part to make sure this sort of violent crime doesn't become the new normal on their streets and in their neighborhoods.
"I don't want any family to experience that kind of tragedy," Seren declared. "Nobody wants this kind of crime next to them. Nobody wants to be subject to this kind of violence."
Seren says he and other officials are also working to get funding to hire a social worker to help respond to situations that may not need officers, a program they've been working on with the Shaker Heights Police Department. They also want to strengthen their own police force, which is budgeted for 99 sworn officers, but currently working to fill 12 vacancies.