A spate of gun violence in Georgia over the weekend resulted in two deaths and 14 injuries across separate shootings, officials reported.
The Savannah Police Department is investigating five shootings that took place on Friday and Saturday. On Friday, one person was injured, while three separate shootings on Saturday resulted in two fatalities and another injury.
Shortly before midnight on Saturday, multiple individuals with gunshot wounds were found at Ellis Square in downtown Savannah. Police reported that 11 adults received medical treatment for their injuries.
During a news conference on Sunday, Savannah Mayor Van Johnson expressed his disappointment over the violent weekend.
“We are better than this,” Johnson stated. “And certainly, we will continue to insist that we are better than this. And it’s important for us to act better than this.”
According to Savannah police crime statistics, there have been 12 homicides within city limits this year, including the two from the weekend. This is a significant increase from the previous year, which had only one homicide by May 11, 2023. By the same date in 2022, there had been 15 homicides.
Gun-related deaths have hit record numbers in recent years, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting 48,830 gun-related deaths in 2021. A June 2023 survey by the Pew Research Center found that 62% of Americans expect gun violence levels to increase over the next five years.
The Gun Violence Archive recorded 164 mass shootings—defined as incidents with at least four victims shot—and 6,268 gun-related incidents as of Sunday. This data is compiled from over 7,500 law enforcement agencies, media, government, and commercial sources.
Savannah Police Investigating Five Separate Shootings
On Friday, Savannah police responded to a report of gunfire at around 3:50 a.m. and discovered a victim with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound, according to a news release. The victim was transported to Memorial Health University Medical Center for treatment.
Police identified the suspect’s vehicle as it left the scene, pursued it, and took the suspect into custody after a short chase.
On Saturday, officers responded to a shooting at around midnight. The victim had driven himself to Memorial Health University Medical Center, and witnesses directed officers to where the suspect had fled.
The suspect was located and apprehended after a brief foot pursuit, the news release stated.
Later that evening, a shooting left one male juvenile dead. Officers responded at around 7:35 p.m. to a report of an armed person forcefully entering a residence. The resident confronted the intruder, resulting in gunfire. The juvenile was found with gunshot wounds and, despite life-saving measures, died at the scene.
At around 9:20 p.m., police found an adult victim who had died from gunshot wounds. A juvenile male victim was also found near an intersection and transported to Memorial Health University Medical Center after receiving on-scene treatment.
More than two hours later, multiple precincts responded to Ellis Square in downtown Savannah, where several people were found with gunshot wounds. The scene was secured, and first aid was administered before transporting the injured to Memorial Health University Medical Center. In total, 11 adults were treated for injuries.
“As of now, no deaths have resulted from the incident,” authorities stated. “Police were able to interview numerous witnesses and gather evidence at the scene.”
Shootings Come Ahead of Memorial Day Weekend
Savannah Police Chief Lenny Gunther and Mayor Johnson both stated on Sunday that the weekend incidents do not appear to be related or gang-related.
Johnson emphasized the city’s role in addressing public safety and highlighted recent measures, including a gun storage ordinance, employing a special assistant U.S. attorney to prosecute federal crimes, and using ShotSpotter, a gunshot detection technology.
“Unfortunately, for me, this is a common refrain,” Johnson said. “When you allow (guns) to be everywhere, you can’t be surprised when they show up.”
These shootings occurred almost a week before the busy Memorial Day weekend. The American Automobile Association forecasts that 43.8 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home over the holiday period—a 4% increase over last year and nearing 2005’s record of 44 million travelers.
Despite the recent violence, Johnson encouraged people to “have a good time.”
“Come here, enjoy our city, act responsibly,” Johnson said. “We do this all year long. I think the fact is that beyond the 150,000 people, we have 16 million visitors come here, 99.99% come here, and they’re absolutely fine. We know that safe behavior results in safe results.”
