KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — UPDATE: Two shootings took place over the weekend, and one victim has been ID’d, according to a report from WWMT Monday.
The victim in question has been identified as 23-year-old Aaron Marquise Holmes, who died after being shot in the 3800 block of East Cork Street Saturday night.
At this time, no suspect has been identified, and police are still searching for information on this case.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety (KDPS) at 269-337-8120 or Silent Observer at 269-343-2100.
At this time, no other information has been made available regarding another shooting reported on Gull Road.
— Original Story —
More gun violence took place in Kalamazoo over the weekend as two separate incidents were reported, one leaving a victim dead from gunshot wounds. This happens as Kalamazoo police and city officials continue efforts to curb a recent surge in gun crimes
Police say a Kalamazoo man was killed following a shooting Saturday evening in the 3800 block of E. Cork Street. The 23-year-old was taken to the hospital and later died from his injuries. The night before, police said an 18-year-old Kalamazoo man was shot multiple times while visiting a residence in the 2200 block of Gull Road. Authorities say it happened around 11:30 p.m.. The victim was reported in stable conditions after being taken to the hospital. Suspects in both shootings are still unidentified and on the loose.
The Kalamazoo Department of Public safety is putting their Group Violence Intervention team back to work to try to curb it. Deputy Chief David Boysen says the diversion program saves lives, as these incidents continue to traumatize the families of the victims and the suspects, many of them young people.
“When we have a shooting and we have a homicide, we have a young man who is never coming home. His family is completely traumatized, and then the other person that’s involved gets life in prison. So then their family is traumatized.”
Boysen says they have obtained a sophisticated system to match guns with spent casings to make it easier to identify and prosecute shooters. The city may also install Ring Cameras in crime hot spots, as a form of surveillance. Deputy City Manager Laura Lam says they are looking to fund these and other pilot programs as soon as they can.
Gun crimes doubled in Kalamazoo during 2020 and so far this year, don’t appear to be slowing down. In fact, the number of incidents is on the rise and is involving younger victims and suspects.
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