WPD: Higher crimes in public housing communities

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — There have been three murders in Wilmington since January 1. Police say they all happened in the Creekwood South Apartment community. It’s a neighborhood that in recent years has worked to shed its negative image.

Wilmington Police Chief Evangelous says the most recent murder was domestic violence related, but the previous two incidents were gang related.

WPD reports they have reduced crime in the public housing communities by unprecedented levels and a housing task force has been committed to the job by being present in these areas daily, but Evangelous adds concentration of poverty has a higher rate of mishaps in communities.

“HUD and all the funding money that comes out of the federal government which funds public housing needs to be redirected to help move these people out of these environments that have generationally caused a no win situation,” Evangelous said.

He says a vast majority of Wilmington is safe, but the generational hot spots with increased crime are correlated with poverty, lower education, under employment, gangs, guns and drugs.

“During the number 2 murder that we’ve had, we were standing on 30th Street and it didn’t matter to them because they shot the individual on Emory Street,” Evangelous said.  “Absolutely, no respect whatsoever to police or police presence and that’s what we are dealing with.”

Evangelous says change needs to happen in the public housing communities in Wilmington.

“This latest murder we just had, he just got out of prison not long ago and he was put on parole for doing the same thing except the victim didn’t die in that one,” Evangelous said.

He says the children in communities like Creekwood need better role models and Glendora Mullins says she’s not giving up on Creekwood without a fight.

“Creekwood, Houston Moore, whatever, they know I’m going to fight for our community cause it takes all of us to make it and they know I’m going to be there day, night, storm, whatever,” Mullins said.

As the vice president of the Creekwood Center, Mullins provides programs and resources for families.

“Right now, we need it to keep the kids from off the street and to show the world that our community is more than violence and shooting,” Mullins said.

Evangelous says he’s constantly making recommendations to the housing authority.

“We need video cameras in public housing that work, that are state-of-the-art, that we can, hopefully, prevent crime from occurring and to help catch these violent criminals when they commit their acts,” Evangelous said.

Mullins has faith it will get better.

“We have our good days and bad days,” Mullins said.  “It’s up and it’s down. We just make it and keep praying.”