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Bolivar residents concerned about shootings

After months of continued gunshots being fired in the city limits of Bolivar, property damaged, individuals wounded, many residents have spoken out and said they are afraid the shootings will take the life of an innocent person if something is not done. However, although two arrests have been made in connection with some of the shootings, Bolivar Police authorities said they are running into ‘walls’ when it comes to gaining cooperation from the community. Police said in order to ensure the safety of citizens in the city, it must be a cooperation and partnership between law enforcement as well as citizens.

A total of 34 ‘shots fired’ 911 calls have been placed from September 1 through November 15, resulting in only a few actual reports being taken as a result of the lack of cooperation they are receiving from the community.

“Many times, they (911) get a ‘shots fired’ call that is anonymous and we don’t know who to go talk to,” said Patrick Baker, Bolivar Police Chief. “We arrive on the scene and attempt to investigate but there is no one around and no one to talk to us or give us any information. We were not there. We didn’t see it but someone did. We have people who will come in and tell us 'here is what is going on' but when we ask for a written statement or for them to testify then they say 'oh no, I'm not doing that. I don't want to get involved.”

Additionally, Baker said two shootings were heard by officers in the area but those two shootings were not reported to 911. Baker and other law enforcement officials said many times they will receive calls the following day, after a shooting, only when property damage has been done with bullets in homes or vehicles and the individual needs a report for insurance purposes. However, the actual shooting that took place the night before that caused the damage is never called into the 911 center.

Law enforcement officials are concerned the refusal on the part of citizens to tell what is happening and to provide information is preventing police from bringing shooters to justice and could lead to a stray bullet killing an innocent child or adult.

The Bolivar Bulletin-Times sat down with concerned citizens living in the areas of many of the shootings, as well as law enforcement officials, and we will have a complete story (along with a breakdown of where ‘shots fired’ calls have came in from to the 911 center since September 1) in next week’s edition.

"We want to talk to anyone who will talk to us," said Shane Swift, Bolivar Police Department investigator