Last Friday in Five Points, yet another shooting occurred. But this time, we weren’t told about it.
The Columbia police released a report Thursday stating that potential suspects for the shooting had been identified, an incident no one, not even the state media, had been informed about. The shooting had apparently been reported through a telephone call last Friday, and details of it had remained unclear to the Columbia police throughout the week.
In light of the recent influx of crime in Five Points, the Columbia police have been under a significant amount of pressure to combat and prevent violence. Just last week, they announced the initiation of a crackdown on crime, promising to send ample protection down to Five Points this weekend in time for the home football game against Georgia. However, the fact that this particular shooting — an incident that occurred after the police announced the crackdown — was not reported to the public at all gives us good reason to raise an eyebrow.
Regardless of whether this information was hidden from the public intentionally, the failure of the local police force to disclose an event that endangers the community is shady. Even if it was done simply because details of this crime were not solidified at the time, they should have, at the very least, acknowledged that it happened.
Hopefully in coming weeks, the Columbia police will step back up to the plate and keep dangerous activity around Columbia known to the public. Safety always comes first, and only with full transparency and prompt notification can we ensure a safe community for everyone.