Local News

Fayetteville installs new surveillance cameras after record-breaking year of murders, violence

Fayetteville's police chief Gina Hawkins shared her plans on Thursday to install surveillance cameras around the city after a year of record-breaking murders.

Posted Updated

By
Gilbert Baez
, WRAL Fayetteville reporter
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — Fayetteville's police chief Gina Hawkins shared her plans on Thursday to install surveillance cameras around the city after a year of record-breaking murders.

The year ended with the tragic death of a 2-year-old, who was found unresponsive on New Year's Eve by police. The child was taken to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center around 10:30 p.m. on Dec. 31. The medical examiner determined the death to be a homicide.

The death was Fayetteville's 48th homicide in 2021, breaking the record of 32 murders in 2016.

In 2022, two murders have already happened in Fayetteville – including the murder of a father of 7 children, who was killed in his own store, Southern City Swag Boutique. His murder came on the heels of Monday's road rage murder of 32-year-old Stephen Addison.

Hawkins said she's relying on new technology – and the help of the public – to make Fayetteville a safer place.

"We are saddened. People don't understand – this keeps us up at night," she said.

Hawkins says the increase in murders and gun violence isn't something that's just happening in Fayetteville.

"Everywhere across the nation, cities are having an increase in homicides," she said. "And they're also having some cities, like ours, having decrease in overall crime."

Her department is investing in new technology to focus on stopping gun-related violence and murders. But she says, ultimately, her officers need help from the public to turn the numbers around.

"If you know someone who is hot-tempered and likely to possibly shoot someone, tell someone," she said. "So we can take those guns. Tell someone,so we can address it and get them help."

She says they will install a host of new cameras around the city. They're also giving homeowners a way to link their security cameras to the system.

These cameras will create a visual web that will help prevent some criminal activity and help solve crimes even faster.

 Credits 

Copyright 2024 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.