Consider This: Do Something. Now!

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Now that the elections for Jackson mayor and City Council are behind us, hopefully the administration and city leaders can get on the same page to fight this crime plague infecting the Capital City.

So far, there has been little success in stopping the senseless violence. No, actually there has been no success.

And here we are, once again, on pace to have a record number of homicides.

More than 60 people have been murdered in the past 5 months, included two young women who were getting ready to take on the world.

Kennedy Hobbs had just graduated from high school and Jertia Evans had just graduated from Mississippi State. Their lives were just beginning when they were executed.

How unbelievably tragic.

This week, Mayor Lumumba said he can’t solve the problem alone. We agree, but there are things he can do to have an immediate impact.

We need more law enforcement officers on the street… now. It’s time to finalize the interlocal agreement with Hinds County Sheriff’s Department. It’s time to work with state leadership to bring in additional officers, maybe the National Guard.

It’s time to bring in federal agents. That’s the only way to quickly have an impact on crime.

Then, you can begin to work on addressing social issues, mental illness, job opportunities, and all the other factors that lead to long term transformation. We can’t wait years for those programs to take effect as people are gunned down on the streets of Jackson every week.

Mayor, what you have done the past four years has not worked. City Council, what you have done has not worked. Hinds County Supervisors, what you have done has not worked.

It’s time for you stop the fancy soundbites, to stop the finger pointing, it’s time for you to do something and put an end to this tragic violence.

On average, 2 to 3 people have been murdered every week in 2021. How many more families will have to bury their children before city, county, state and federal leaders come together to bring this epidemic to an end?

Until that happens, Jackson, The City with Soul, will continue to lose more of its soul every week.

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