At 1:42 a.m. on Dec. 27, multiple shots rang out in the Lake Manor neighborhood in Greenville.
The audio recording from a security camera in the area reveal those shots seem to be from more than one weapon as the sounds of the shots overlapped.
When the sun came up that morning it was obvious there had been some type of firefight in the neighborhood.
There were multiple casings from a .40-caliber pistol lying on the street. One of the houses on the street had six bullet holes in the exterior.
There was broken glass from the window of a car mixed in with the spent casings.
One of the residents, on this generally quiet corner of Greenville, called the police as soon as the shots rang out.
The officer was there within minutes.
He took a report.
The report recounted the story, but ended with, “There is no suspect information at this time.”
Three of the families nearest to the shooting sat around their kitchen table a few nights after the incident, retelling the story.
It’s not the first time they’ve heard gunshots in the neighborhood, but the first time one of their houses were hit. And, the first time the gunshots sounded like something other than holiday celebrations.
Two of the families have lived in the neighborhood for more than 20 years and remember when gunfire wasn’t an event.
Those times have changed in the last five or so years.
Those neighbors also say the number and frequency of police patrols is almost negligible.
One of the neighbors, out on her morning walk a day or so after the shooting incident, saw a police car and told the patrolman she was glad to see him out since there had been shots fired in the neighborhood.
She said he told her he hadn’t been told about the incident.
They’ve also noticed a steady increase in cars making loops through the neighborhood in the late hours of the evening. Cars that don’t belong to their neighbors are driving the streets between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m.
With the increase in late-night traffic has come a steady increase in petty theft from vehicles and the increase in random gunfire.
Random gunfire has become an all-too-common occurrence in Greenville, according to a recent survey on the Delta Democrat-Times’ website.
Just more than 87% of respondents said they’d heard random gunfire in town.
Those respondents lived in neighborhoods spread throughout the city.
While the neighbors in Lake Manor called the police immediately after the incident, less than 20% of poll respondents said they’d called police after they heard gunfire.
Those neighbors are also Greenville natives and remember a time when random gunfire and crime weren’t a concern.
“I remember in the 80s when there were tow boat companies here and downtown was packed,” one of the neighbors said. “We never had these problems.”
Another neighbor also remembered what seemed to be a stronger police presence.
She said police were often on the scene when teenagers were out doing what teenagers are not to do.
Those same neighbors wished to see a bit stronger police presence in the neighborhood they inhabit as adults.
Resident Andrew Smith responded to the DD-T poll and said, “It is difficult for the City of Greenville’s police department to do anything about gunfire. In order to address this activity, it will require more police officers. Given the current population, Greenville needs 130 officers on staff. We currently have 36 (from what I have been told). Greenville needs strong citizen engagement and elected and appointed leadership accountability.”
Lidell Shoffner responded to the poll and said the gunfire is constant.
“Not necessarily on holidays, but at any given time, was even told by the police to get a definitive address where gunfire is heard and call and tell them,” Shoffner said. “I guess if I run out in gunfire and get them an address, I am supposed to not get shot doing their job and report back to them. Really? Just what is their job? What did they knowingly sign up for? I am on disability and retired. I don’t think that qualifies me for their job.”
Eric Harvey responded to the poll with frustration.
“Tired of it,” Harvey said. “Can’t sleep. Who gets up at 5 a.m. to shoot a gun, but can’t get up to punch a clock?”
David Bush responded to the poll saying the gunfire has increased in his time here.
“New Year’s Eve was by far the worst gunfire I’ve heard in my neighborhood since having moved here over 16 years ago,” Bush said. “I’m a hunter and gun owner and I know the difference between gunfire and fireworks. I honestly felt unsafe, fearful to leave the safety of a roof over my head and like I was living in a middle eastern third world country.”
Vanessa Mills-Wigfall said citizens need to take action.
“Residents should be made aware that calls should be made to the police department to report gunshots,” Mills Wigfall said. “Community meetings should be held in conjunctions with the City Council and the Board of Supervisors for each ward with data of reported incidents, crimes, etc… These are not isolated individual incidents of people whose mindset has them thinking that this is the normal. There is a way to track registered firearms citizens and their neighborhoods. For all other reported incidents, well-being checks should be done at the reported residents and firearms removed from the residents.”
Karen Manning said in her response to the poll, she wished for more action from the police.
“I wish the city would do more to stop random gunfire considered celebratory for holidays,” Manning said. “It is dangerous and irresponsible, not to mention scary to animals, young children and the elderly. Some people are so inconsiderate of others in these neighborhoods.”
Greenville Police Chief Delando Wilson said the police department takes the random gunfire incidents seriously.
“The Greenville Police Department has been addressing and investigating random shots fired around the entire city,” Wilson said. “Extra patrol has been placed in some areas and arrests have been made in some of these incidents.”
Wilson also had a few points of advice for residents.
“The department also wants to remind citizens to secure their firearms and do not leave firearms in your vehicle,” Wilson said. “This will help to prevent firearms from getting into the wrong hands. All of our divisions work diligently to help prevent these incidents and to keep all citizens safe.”
If anyone has any information about any of these incidents, call the Greenville Police Department at 662-378-1515.
