Fayetteville leaders voted Tuesday to implement a citywide youth curfew and plan to discuss specifics of its rollout next month.
The Fayetteville City Council voted 6-4 to establish a curfew from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. each day for people aged 16 and younger.
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The city council has a meeting scheduled for June 9 to discuss the rollout of the youth curfew.
“The delay is causing our kids to die in our streets,” Mayor Mitch Colvin said during Tuesday night’s city council meeting.
Colvin voted in favor of the curfew along with city council members Derrick Thompson, Courtney Banks-McLaughlin, D.J. Haire, Malik Davis and Kathy Jensen.
Mario Benavente, Lynne Greene, Brenda McNair and Deno Hondros voted against it.
“We are rushing a decision that should not be rushed,” Greene said on Tuesday.
Anyone ages 16 and younger found in violation of the youth curfew could face a Class 3 misdemeanor and a fine up to $500.
Hondros said he had yet to find a town or city that had a successful curfew.
“Five hundred cities have tried it, but this city has not tried it,” Colvin said.
Related: Do curfews work? Nashville sees dip in crime, disturbances from late-night restrictions
Earlier this month, the Fayetteville City Council voted 8-2 in favor of the proposed youth curfew.
The proposed curfew has several exceptions, including:
— A juvenile who is with their parent or guardian
— If the juvenile is accompanied by an adult 21 years or older with permission of the parent or guardian for a designated time frame and area
— Running an errand for their parents if they are on the direct route until 11:30 p.m.
— In a motor vehicle with parental consent traveling through the city
— Traveling in a motor vehicle with an adult 21 years of age or older with parental consent for a designated period of time and purpose within a specified area
— Engaged in lawful employment or getting to and from work using a direct route
— Reacting or responding to an emergency
— Attending or traveling to or from, by direct route, an official school, religious, or recreational activity that is supervised by adults and sponsored by a public or private school, the city or other governmental entity, a civic organization or another similar entity that accepts responsibility for the juvenile
— Exercising First Amendment rights protected by the United States Constitution such as the free exercise of religion, freedom of speech, and the right of assembly
— Married or emancipated
The city’s proposed curfew comes after:
— A shooting in May that killed Donte Maurice Vanclief. He was 36.
— Three shootings in late April near the Downtown Dogwood Festival.
— An incident in March where a 12-year-old was shot at a carnival.
The Fayetteville City Council is scheduled to meet again at 6:30 p.m. Monday, June 9 to discuss the proposed youth curfew.