A violent year: Fayetteville had record high number of murders in 2021

WE WILL BE OUT HERE FOR THE

NEXT HALF HOUR AT LEAST

LISTENING TO ALL OF THESE

ACCOUNTS, PUTTING TOGETHER A

STORY FOR YOU TO SEE TONIGHT AT

7:00.

DEBORAH?

>> KEENAN WILLARD, THANK YOU.

>>> NEW PICTURES HAVE BEEN

RELEASED OF PEOPLE OF INTEREST

IN CONNECTION WITH A DEADLY

FAYETTEVILLE STORE SHOOTING.

DETECTIVES ARE SEARCHING FOR

THESE TWO PEOPLE, AND AND

INFINITY SUV.

POLICE SAY THE PEOPLE PICTURED

MAY HELP WITH THE

INVESTIGATION.

ANYONE WHO RECOGNIZE THE PEOPLE

OR SUV IN THESE PICTURES IS

ASKED TO CONTACT AUTHORITIES.

EDDIE SAEED WAS SHOT AND KILLED.

THAT HAPPENED AT THE SOUTHERN

CITIES WAG BOUTIQUE.

>> THAT BOUTIQUE MURDER IS THE

SECOND FAYETTEVILLE HOMICIDE,

ALREADY, THIS YEAR IN 2022.

IT COMES AFTER A YEAR OF RECORD-

BREAKING MURDERS IN 2021.

FAYETTEVILLE REPORTER GILBERT

HAYES SAT DOWN WITH THE POLICE

CHIEF TO TALK ABOUT PLANS TO

STOP THIS VIOLENCE, GILBERT?

>> Reporter: DAN, THE POLICE

CHIEF WISHED THAT SHE WOULD

HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL FOR HER AND

OFFICERS TO KNOW IN ADVANCE

WHEN SOMEONE WAS GOING TO

COMMIT A MURDER.

OBVIOUSLY THAT IS NOT THE CASE.

SO, SHE IS GOING TO BE RELYING

ON NEW TECHNOLOGY.

MORE IMPORTANTLY ON THE PUBLIC

TO TRY TO HELP MAKE

FAYETTEVILLE SAFER.

>> Reporter: 2022 IS TURNING

OUT TO BE ANOTHER VIOLENT YEAR

IN FAYETTEVILLE.

TUESDAYS MURDER AT THE SOUTHERN

CITIES WAG BOUTIQUE COMES ON

THE HEELS OF A ROAD RAGE MURDER

OF 32-YEAR-OLD STEPHEN ADDISON.

>> COMING FROM THE GYM, AND HE

WAS GOING HOME, JUST TRYING TO

GO TO THE RIGHT AND HE WOULD

HAVE BEEN HOME.

>> WE ARE SADDENED BECAUSE

PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND.

>> Reporter: GINA HAWKINS IS

DEALING WITH AN EXPLOSION OF

HOMICIDES IN THE CITY.

TWO, SO FAR THIS YEAR, BUT A

RECORD-BREAKING NUMBER IN 2021.

IN 2016, THERE WERE 32 MURDERS.

LAST YEAR, THAT NUMBER GREW TO

48.

THE LAST ONE HAPPENED NEW

YEAR'S EVE.

THE VICTIM, A 2-YEAR-OLD WHO

DIED AFTER BEING TRANSPORTED TO

CAPE FEAR VALLEY MEDICAL

CENTER.

>> AFTER GOING THROUGH THE

PROCESS TO DETERMINE THAT IT IS

NOT A NATURAL DEATH, SO IT IS

BEING RULED A HOMICIDE.

>> Reporter: HAWKINS SAYS THE

INCREASE OF MURDERS AND GUN

VIOLENCE IS NOT SOMETHING THAT

IS JUST HAPPENING IN

FAYETTEVILLE.

>> EVERYWHERE ACROSS THE

NATION, SMALL BIG AND MEDIUM

CITIES ARE HAVING AN INCREASE

IN HOMICIDE.

THERE ARE ALSO SOME CITIES LIKE

OURS HAVING A DECREASE IN

OVERALL CRIME.

>> Reporter: THE CHIEF SAYS

INVESTING IN NEW TECHNOLOGY

WILL PUT A STOP TO GUN RELATED

VIOLENCE AND MURDERS BUT SHE

SAYS ULTIMATELY OFFICERS NEED

HELP FROM THE PUBLIC TO TURN

THE NUMBERS AROUND.

>> IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO IS

HOT TEMPERED AND LIKELY TO

SHOOT SOMEONE, TELL SOMEONE SO

WE CAN TAKE THOSE GUNS.

TELL SOMEONE SO WE CAN ADDRESS

AND GET THEM HELP.

>> Reporter: YOU CAN SEE THE

CAMERAS IN DOWNTOWN

FAYETTEVILLE, THE CHIEF SAYS

SHE PLANS TO INVEST IN EVEN

MORE CAMERAS LIKE THAT ALL

AROUND.

SHE ALSO HAS THE TECHNOLOGY TO

LET HOMEOWNERS GET RING AND

HOME SECURITY CAMERAS LINKED

INTO IT SO WE HAVE A VIDEO WEB

AROUND THE CITY.

DAN, THE HOPE IS THAT THOSE

CAMERAS WILL HELP PREVENT SOME

CRIMES AND HELP THEM SOLVE SOME

EVEN FASTER.