Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke And Police Chief Fred Fletcher Address Recent Violence

  • Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke and Police Chief Fred Fletcher
Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke and Police Chief Fred Fletcher
Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke and Chattanooga Police Chief Fred Fletcher on Wednesday addressed the violence seen in Chattanooga this week and renewed calls for witnesses to come forward with information.
 
Mayor Berke began a press conference at the Chattanooga Police Department with strong words about the recent violence.
 
“I am disgusted and appalled by the violence in our community this week,” said Mayor Berke. “On Sunday night, a young boy lost his parents when they were murdered in his house.
A five-year-old boy is now growing up without parents in our city.”
 
“Today on Brainerd Road, one of our most crowded streets, someone shot a 9mm into another vehicle, causing a multi-vehicle collision. Fortunately, no one was injured. But here on our streets -- where people are going to work, where children are transported to daycare, where small business owners try to make a living -- someone shot a 9mm multiple times.”

“This isn’t right. None of it,” said Mayor Berke.

Mayor Berke continued, stating “there are people right now walking around our city who know what happened. Who can help us arrest the people who did these crimes. I am asking them to help us now. Because when you don’t, another incident happens. And then another and another and the cycle never stops.
 
“Whoever deprived that five-year-old boy of his parents should not be walking the streets. They should be in jail. Whoever endangered the lives of people on Brainerd Road today should not be walking the streets. They should be in jail.

“I say enough. Enough of the violence and enough of the silence.
 
“But mayors and police officers can’t be the only ones who say it. We all have to say it together. Because Chief Fletcher and his team, with all the community work they do and the victim support services they provide, must have your help to put people behind bars. So please come forward with any information you have. A five-year-old boy should spend his days with his parents, not at our Family Justice Center.”

After Mayor Berke spoke, Chief Fletcher provided details of Wednesday’s incident on Brainerd Road and enlisted the community for its help.
 
“At 10:45 today a rolling disturbance with gunfire occurred in 5100 block of Brainerd Road. The suspect vehicle may be a red VW with no other description. The target vehicle was a Lincoln Navigator,” said Chief Fletcher.
 
“There is no suspect description or information. The Navigator that was the target of the gunfire drove off, ran a red light and crashed. The resulting crash involved eight vehicles and several parties received injuries although none are serious and none were the result of a gun shot.
 
“There was a pregnant female in the target vehicle. She received no injuries but is receiving medical attention to ensure the good health of her and her unborn child. Early reports indicated two people fled scene on foot but investigation reveals this was not the case.

“Witnesses we have identified are being cooperative. We know there are witnesses to this disturbance. We need you to contact investigators.  

“Chattanooga Police investigators have developed significant intelligence that indicates a small number of individuals and cliques are responsible for recent violence which likely includes today’s incident. Starting last week, we significantly stepped up efforts to confront this violence including increased visible patrols, undercover surveillance and operations, joint efforts with local, regional and federal partners, and focused efforts to interdict persons driving the violence.” 

“Over the next few weeks we will be dramatically increasing our efforts to focus on this small group of people who are endangering themselves, their friends and families, and those around them.  We will make sure they understand this community will not tolerate the violence.

“Officers from every assignment in the department are aggressively pursuing these violent criminals. They are working long hours, placing themselves in harm’s way, arresting violent offenders and taking illegal firearms off the street to confront this violence.  As I was preparing to brief you all today, patrol officers targeting this violence arrested multiple offenders and took multiple guns off the street.”

Chief Fletcher concluded his statements by saying, “your brave officers will continue to take whatever action is necessary to stem the violence. We need the entire community to step up, take a stand and provide information that can help us stop this violence.”
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