All three of the recent shooting cases remain under investigation and no one has been arrested.
Continuing Coverage: Families of Springfield homicide victims want violence to stop
Details of the most recent shooting at a home on the 500 block of Homeview are still limited. Springfield police said they found a 38-year-old man who was shot in the chest. He was transported to Miami Valley Hospital by Careflight, a police report says.
Springfield police responded to a shooting just two days earlier on Delcourt Drive and found a 26-year-old man badly injured.
“(The victim) was suffering from multiple gun wounds to his chest, left arm, left rib cage area and lower back,” a police report says.
MORE: Springfield police respond to Homeview Avenue shooting
He too was taken to Miami Valley Hospital where he remains, a spokeswoman said.
Police also responded to a shooting on July 26 to the area of Todd Avenue and Selma Road. Another 26-year-old man had been shot. He was expected to survive.
Prudence Mundy relives the day her son was killed every time news of another shooting in Springfield breaks, she said.
“How many young people are we going to have to bury?” Mundy asks. “How many kids will parents lose over this nonsense? It upsets me every time I see something.”
Mundy is the mother of James Mundy, who was shot and killed in Springfield in 2015. His case remains open and Springfield police bought a billboard on East Columbia Street near Fast Lane car wash seeking information in his case.
Prudence Mundy and a group of other people plan to hold a peace rally at the billboard Saturday at 2 p.m.
READ: Man killed at Wagon Wheel lost brother to gun violence in 2012
“The violence this year is insane,” she said. “We are losing way too many young people to violence.”
The recent shootings in Springfield are simply too much, Springfield NAACP President Denise Williams said.
“I can tell you there is a lot going on in our community,” she said. “Everybody is frustrated and there is no excuse for all of this shootings and killings. There is no excuse.”
The local chapter is planning a community forum that will center around what the community can do to curtail violence, Williams said.
“I know people are going to be emotional but we need to have this discussion,” Williams said. “Why is it that we are having all of this?”
She said she hopes more people will cooperate with law enforcement. But, she fears that a lot of people in Springfield have trust issues with police.
“(Witnesses) don’t feel protected and they don’t trust the police to protect them,” Williams said. “Our community is on the edge. I am not making an excuse for all of this violence. I think it’s time now that we come to the table and we need to discuss it.”
READ: Springfield man shot Sunday remains in hospital
Graf said he feels his department is trusted by residents in Springfield, but there is always room for improvement.
“We are committed to continuing community outreach initiatives and are always open to dialogue with citizens,” Graf said. “The bottom line is that we believe in this community and we are here to serve our citizens. Anything that we can do to build increased trust I am willing to discuss and explore.”
He said he plans to attend the NAACP event when it is set. Springfield police will also host a Facebook Live on Wednesday at 6 p.m. where the chief will field questions about violence from the community.
By the numbers:
11: Number of Homicides in Springfield in 2018
12: Number of homicides in Springfield in 2017
3: Number of non-fatal shootings in Springfield between July 26 and Aug. 7
Continuing Coverage
The Springfield News-Sun has provided the most in-depth reporting on the shootings in Springfield and is digging deeper to find out what the community can do to stop the violence.
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