TYLER, Texas — Halfway through the year and homicide numbers remain average for large East Texas cities such as Tyler.
According to recent numbers, the number of homicides so far in the city of Tyler has been seven.
"We've had tremendous growth in the last few years, we've stayed in the five to seven a year," Andy Erbaugh, public information officer for the city of Tyler, said. "Through our history, that's about what we've had, every year, pushing up over 100,000 people we were staying there."
As more people come together throughout the year there is growing concern large gatherings will increase violent crime rates.
"We noticed right off the bat, you know, we may not have seen in 2020, get togethers that turned into disturbances," Erbaugh said.
In the past three weeks there has been three separate shooting incidents in Tyler that resulted in three deaths.
On June 25 Tylsha Brown was shot and killed as gunmen shot at a Tyler restaurant while Brown was celebrating a birthday.
On June 30 Tyler police responded to the 3200 block of Omega Drive of reports of a shooting.
According to TPD, it was determined an altercation happened outside the home and Jesse McNeely, 17, was shot and later died from his injuries.
On July 4 a teen was shot and killed as police say three people were playing with a gun.
According to TPD, Christopher Wansley, 17, of Jacksonville, shot another teen in the chest.
Wansley was booked on manslaughter charges and released on bond.
Currently the number of homicides in Tyler totals the amount of homicides from 2020. In 2019 Tyler saw zero homicides.
In the city of Longview in 2019 saw four. In 2020 the city cites 13 and in 2021 seven cases.
In the city of Lufkin in 2019 they saw one. In 2020 two and in 2021, so far three cases.
Erbaugh says it's a challenge for law enforcement to predict and prevent violent crimes.
"It's hard for the police department to stop violent crime or get out there and try to self initiate to stop it, because it's very random. It just happens inside houses. You know, which we don't know about happens when groups get together at a moment's notice. And then a fight starts, well, then that brings out guns, and then it goes from nothing to something in less than, you know, five minutes, less than 30 seconds."
Although a challenge the department works through community efforts in prevention.
"Our Crime Watch meetings get the community to ask questions of officers and we can bring in certain detectives or supervisors or bike officers who have knowledge of the crimes occurring."
Erbaugh says another way to combat crime from occurring is to know your community and neighbors.
"If I know the people around me, you know, it's less likely that I'm going to do harm to them or if I know my community and I'm focused in my community, then you know, the community can reach out to people," he said.