Wed., August 31, 2011 2:57pm (EDT)

Macon Fighting Youth Crime

By Josephine Bennett

Updated: 2 years ago

MACON, Ga.  —   People in Macon are mourning the death this week of a teenager shot leaving a party. Five teens in all have been hit by bullets in the last week. Now the city and community have reached a tipping point.

In a packed room at Macon City Hall, Mayor Robert Reichert put forth a new plan to address youth violence.

The city plans to partner with local, state and federal agencies to ramp up investigations of gang activity. They also plan to expand outreach efforts to kids.

Charles Hays Jr. lives in a neighborhood where one of the shootings occurred. He says he’s scared for the safety of his two teenage sons.

“Stop the killing. Stop it, because it has gone too far. It has gone entirely too far. How many caskets got to roll? How many before it’s really stopped.”

Police have arrested a 16-year old suspect.