WACO, Texas — "We just want to make sure that when these crimes do happen and when we are called to these scenes, that those witnesses that are there are sharing that information of what happened with our officers," said Waco Police Department Public Information Officer Cierra Shipley.
The Waco Police Department has seen a decrease in crime compared to this time last year- but within the last two weeks, there's been a recent spike in gun-related incidents.
"We have seen a few more incidents where we're getting called to discharges of firearms. We've had a few victims that have been wounded by gunfire," Shipley said.
The department told 25 News there have been 7 gun-related crimes within the last two weeks.
"What we are seeing though with these gun crimes are that they are interpersonal conflicts, these are people that are upset with each other and this is just how they feel like they need to resolve it," Shipley said.
But officers' primary concern is the lack of witnesses coming forward with information.
"What we're seeing right now is that those people are a little bit more hesitant to come forward. and we're not getting a lot of information from witnesses or the community about what's going on," Shipley said.
That is something they say can impact an investigation early on.
"Those first few hours that our officers are on scene are the most vital to be collecting information and things like that," Shipley said.
That's why they're urging neighbors with information to come forward by utilizing the Crime Stoppers program.
"A lot of times people fear being seen talking to the police because Crime Stoppers is anonymous, they can submit their tip, and nobody knows who it is unless they go around telling people," said Waco Crime Stoppers Coordinator Sofie Martinez.
In the past, Crime Stoppers has led to several arrests throughout our community.
"It helps the person feel safer and not fear repercussions," Martinez said.
Whether or not someone decides to come forward, the message remains the same.
"We just want to remind the public that there are many other ways to deal with an issue with someone, and when it involves a crime, that is not the way to go about it," said Shipley.
If you have any information regarding recent gun crime in our city, you can leave an anonymous tip by calling 254-753-HELP(4357) or online by clicking here.
