Columbus crime prevention director saddened by recent shootings

Columbus Ledger-Enquirer - 5/2/2017

May 01--Columbus Crime Prevention Director Seth Brown says he's disturbed by two fatal shootings that occurred in less than 24 hours.

On Sunday morning, police found 21-year-old Jakorbin King dead inside of his 33rd Street apartment, his body riddled with multiple gunshot wounds.

Later that night, 26-year-old Lavonte Thomas was wounded in another shooting on 24th Street. He was pronounced dead Monday morning, becoming the city's 10th homicide victim of 2017.

"Obviously we're saddened by it like everybody is," Brown said Monday in an interview with the Ledger-Enquirer. "I'm the father of two children; it's tough to watch any of that. You know, 19-year-old kids shooting each other; it's tragic."

Brown, who has been criticized by some grassroots organizations over funding issues, said his office continues to fight against crime through preventative measures. The seven-member crime prevention board is currently reviewing applications for FY2018 grants. He said 34 applicants met the March 31 deadline, and the board will make recommendations sometime in July. He expects the programming budget to remain at about $740,000.

"About 70 percent of our programs deal with elementary to middle school children because we feel like that's where we can have the biggest impact," he said. "Once some kids get to a certain age, they start dropping out of school, and then we've lost a complete handle on any of it.

"We've had some programs that deal with individuals coming out of prison to re-enter into society," he added. "But the recidivism rate among those incarcerated in the past, obviously, is a higher recidivism rate than a child who has committed a juvenile crime and we can put in the juvenile drug court or some delinquency program."

Alva James-Johnson: 706-571-8521, @amjreporter

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