Harrisburg Police Commissioner Thomas Carter speaks at a press conference on Monday, along with Mayor Wanda Williams and Capt. Terry Wealand.
Harrisburg officials are urging residents to work with the police to prevent and solve shootings, following several incidents over the weekend.
At a press conference on Monday, Harrisburg Police Bureau and city officials shared information on several shootings, including a double homicide, that took place over the past few days.
“Incidents like these happen way too often,” said Mayor Wanda Williams. “Two people insensibly lost their lives this weekend, and why? For what?
Most recently, on Sunday evening, Shawn Hairston, 35, and Ana Scott, 42, were shot and killed at 28 S. 16th St, according to police Capt. Terry Wealand.
The investigation is still ongoing, and a suspect has not yet been identified, he said. However, the police believe that this was a targeted incident.
“I want to assure the public and the people of this great city that you are not in danger,” Williams said at the press conference. “However, the person who did this, we will find you, and you will be held accountable for this brutal act of violence.”
Wealand also shared information about several other shootings that took place over the weekend.
On Saturday morning at 3:25 a.m., police were dispatched to N. 2nd and State streets where they found an adult male with a gunshot wound. He was taken to the hospital and is now in stable condition, Wealand said.
While police investigated the shooting, another adult male with a gunshot wound entered the hospital. According to Wealand, the victim was involved in the incident at N. 2nd and State streets, as well as an incident at N. 16th and Schuylkill streets. He is now in stable condition.
Upon arriving at N. 16th and Schuylkill streets to investigate, police were approached by another adult male gunshot victim who was taken to the hospital. He is also in stable condition, Wealand said.
According to the police, there was not much cooperation by victims. However, Wealand said that significant progress in the investigation has been made.
Police Commissioner Thomas Carter expressed frustration with the lack of cooperation.
“The violence will not stop until everybody in this city takes an active role,” Carter said. “We cannot do it by ourselves.”
Also on Saturday at 7:30 p.m., a 17-year-old male walked into a local hospital with a gunshot wound. Wealand said that he was also uncooperative and wouldn’t tell police the location of where he was shot. He is in stable condition.
Finally, on Friday, March 11, at about 5 p.m. police were called to the 900-block N. 19th St. for shots fired. According to the resident who called, a man identified as Fredys Pimentel, 74, opened fired at the man’s residence after he had been parked outside for a long period of time. Shortly after, police found Pimentel in his car a few blocks away, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Wealand said. Police are not aware of any connection between Pimentel and the victim of the shooting on his home.
“I could have a police officer on every corner, and we would still have shootings,” Carter said. “Because we cannot predict when a shooting’s going to happen. We need the help of the citizens to stop this violence.”
To address gun violence in the city, Carter said that the bureau has removed hundreds of illegal guns from the streets, but said that there is more they can do.
“We are out there doing things every day,” he said. “We are not going to give up. We are not going to quit.”
Anyone with information relevant to any of these crimes is asked to contact the police at 717-558-6900. Tips can also be submitted through the CRIMEWATCH website.
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