JAMESTOWN – Jamestown Police Chief Harry Snellings updated the Jamestown City Council Monday night on Sunday’s shooting on the city’s north side.
Jamestown Police Chief Harry Snellings during the Nov. 28 Jamestown City Council meeting. Snellings offered another update to City Council on Dec. 5, regarding the JPD’s ongoing investigation into a rash of shooting incidents that are inter-connected and have taken place in the city within an 11-day period, including a homicide on Thanksgiving morning.
The Chief confirmed the shooting on Sunday, Dec. 5, at the corner of Prendergast and Eighth Streets was in connection to the four other shooting incidents that occurred on Thanksgiving and Black Friday. Chief Snellings added that he and the entire JPD remain committed to investigating the case.
“This has got our full attention,” Snellings said. “We’re addressing it in every way possible. We’re not happy with what’s going on and I’d like to re-emphasis that we’re dealing with criminals, and criminals do not cooperate with the police. They have their own code in how they deal with things. Someone recently asked me about the number of officers – I could have a thousand police officers out there right now. It’s not going to prevent what happened because they are opportunists, they are going to wait, and I’m can’t have a cop on every corner of ever block 24-7. It’s just unrealistic.”
Chief Snellings also said that additional patrols are being provided by both the New York State Police and Chautauqua County Sheriff’s office in an effort to prevent further shooting incidents from happening.
“Every request for additional patrols, they’ve provided. They provided two-man cars, and we’re changing up [the increased patrols], but again, what day do you pick? What time? I don’t want to put that out there when we’re having a heavier presence. That’s part of our strategy. We’re not trying to be secretive and not keep our community informed, but we also have a responsibility to maintain the integrity of the investigation and not put everything out there.”
Authorities investigate the crime scene following a shooting death that took place early Thanksgiving Morning on S. Main St. in Jamestown, NY. (Image Courtesy of 716 Network/Facebook)
The Chief also emphasized that the five shooting incidents are considered specific, targeted acts and are not random acts of violence towards the general public. So far there has been one homicide, 26 year-old Allan Burnett, Jr. of Buffalo, and three others injured in connection to the shootings.
Jamestown City Council President Greg Rabb said that he and the rest of the city officials have been contacted by residents expressing concern for the incidents. He’s urging them to remain vigilant. He said it may also be worthwhile to have an upcoming community forum to address the violence that is taking place.
“It might be a better idea, once this incident is behind us, to talk about what people could do to feel safer,” Rabb said. “If I thought the community forum would reassure people, that would be the main reason for doing it. But as the chief pointed out is that, there’s no way to predict what they’re going to do or when they’re going to do it because they just don’t care. So I think the best advice is to keep alert, don’t change your pattern, and if you see stuff that’s out of the ordinary, contact the police.”
Anyone with information on the Sunday shooting, or any of the recent shooting incidents in Jamestown, is being asked to contact the JPD anonymously via the department’s Tips 411 app, or through the anonymous tip line at 483-8477 (483-TIPS). All calls and tips will be kept confidential.
I heard that our Governor brought in these people to Jamestown! Is this true? Most of them Hispanic and just paroled! That is why they built the new apartment’s on 2nd Street.