Three weeks into his new job, Rochester’s new mayor is faced with continuing street violence.
Malik Evans is centralizing all City Hall’s anti-violence programs and agencies under his office, and putting them in charge of his special advisor, Victor Saunders. That includes Pathways to Peace and other programs that have been part of the city’s Parks and Recreation Department. Evans says that will get everyone pulling together and in the same direction.
Evans announced his plans a day after four men were shot and one killed, plus another man was stabbed in Rochester. Those incidents continued the upward trend in violent incidents that made 2021 Rochester’s deadliest year, with 81 homicides.
Evans said in a news conference that you will have crime in any urban environment. He said “they key is we have to make sure we don’t accept it.”
Evans says it will take the entire community to reduce violence. He called on people who have witnessed crimes and feel they are under attack themselves to pick up the phone and call.