Harrisburg, Pa. - There has been one full week without a shooting in Harrisburg.

That's significant, because the week before there were seven shootings in seven days.

Brenda Alton is the pastor at Kingdom Embassy Church on Maclay Street.  She said she believes the community's efforts to crack down on violence are working.

"I think prayer works, but I think there's also more eyes on the streets," Alton said.  "More ears, more people who are willing to report anything they see and it's just a wonderful momentum that is happening."

Harrisburg Police Captain Pierre Ritter said he believes things were quiet this past week because media outlets reported there would be increased patrols in high crime neighborhoods.

He also said police have been making arrests, busting 90 percent of the people involved in the recent shootings.  Ritter also said police arrested nearly 40 people for violent crimes during the month of June.

"It helps a lot and of course if we get the cooperation from the court system to keep these individuals off the street, that will make Harrisburg a much safer place," Ritter said.

Ritter said police are not taking any chances, and will increase patrols for the holiday weekend.  In fact, he said State Police will double their presence to four patrol cruisers.

After the recent wave of violence, Sonya Rivers of Harrisburg decided to start walking the streets at night to talk to young people.  It's something she said she'll continue, despite the recent calm.

"I could sit in my house and be fearful and not let my kids come outside and play, but what result is going to come from that?" Rivers said.

"Darkness has a time, so it lays dormant," Pastor Alton said.  "And we haven't gotten to the root of it.  We've just quieted things down but we want to get to the root of it and eradicate it."

 

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