“We need everybody in this entire community to come together, and there’s so many people who are already engaging in those efforts with the right heart, right mind and the right attitude,” Elliott said. “We need to continue to come together and make sure that we’re working collectively to address these issues and address the root causes.”
Springfield has had nine homicides in seven months this year, with the majority being a result of gun violence. Springfield saw higher numbers of homicides from 2021 to 2023 — including nine in 2021, eight in 2022, and 11 in 2023 — before a drop to six in 2024.
Most recently, a woman was shot to death July 23 in the 100 block of East Cecil Street between Fountain Avenue and Limestone Street. Marcus Hasan, 28, of Springfield, was indicted on charges of murder and felonious assault for the shooting, which is believed to be the result of a domestic dispute, according to police.
On June 20, Michael Bailey, 53, of Springfield allegedly shot two people near Wittenberg University. He was subsequently indicted on two counts of first-degree felony attempted murder, three counts of second-degree felonious assault, as well as one count each of first-degree felony aggravated robbery, third-degree felony theft of a firearm, third-degree felony having weapons while under disability, first-degree felony aggravated burglary and third-degree felony abduction.
On June 28, a nonfatal shooting in which multiple people shot at each other following an altercation in the 1000 block of West Rose Street left four people injured.
Why are shootings becoming more frequent?
Guns are very easy to access with Ohio’s lax concealed carry laws, Elliott said.
She said SPD has seen an increase in youth, including those under 18, carrying guns over the years.
“The ability to access a firearm is certainly much, much easier, and it’s noticeable and concerning,” Elliott said.
There is also a lack of conflict resolution and de-escalation skills, she said.
A coalition studied the gun violence issue in Springfield and planned to launch a street outreach program, but lost $1.24 million when the federal government abruptly canceled all but almost $400,000 that had already been used. The group is appealing the loss.
Clark County’s challenges in arrests, communication
With a jail unsuited to house the number of people arrested in the county, law enforcement sometimes has to release people it arrests on lower-level crimes, Clark said. He said these should be addressed before a person ends up committing more serious crimes.
“The problem we have is if we don’t pay attention to the lower level non-violent felonies or misdemeanors, it builds a resistance almost,” Clark said. “It builds someone’s confidence in order to do the next step to do something a little bit worse each time. And then before we know we’re dealing with violent criminals.”
The city and county are currently discussing building a new jail and Clark County is putting a 0.5% increase to the county’s sales tax on the November ballot to help pay it.
The county’s combined 911 dispatch center is currently in the process of moving to a new, more efficient system, Clark said, something that is taking more time than anticipated.
“We need to data share; we need to go back and forth,” Clark said. “We need to make sure that whatever Springfield city’s working on, we’re aware of, and whatever we’re (CCSO) working on, Springfield city’s aware of. We’re dealing with the same ... groups of people.”
The city and county both use technology like Flock cameras, which recognize license plates that pass through intersections to run them through databases on wanted or stolen vehicles. SPD also works with the Springfield Fire Rescue Division to use drones to make searches easier, and the sheriff’s office uses its own drones.
Law enforcement need to continue using data and technology for prevention and apprehension with criminals using data and technology themselves, Clark said.
“I’m sorry to say that law enforcement as a whole across the United States is a little bit behind, but we’re catching up,” Clark said. “But we’re still doing some things today that occurred in the 90s when I started this job.”
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