Democratic District Attorney candidate John Allen Brooks said it is "not professional or acceptable to use terms like 'gang' or 'gang activities' when referencing a specific crime unless you’re sure that gangs were the root cause of that crime." He referred to statements by Republican candidate Coty Wamp on the incident early Sunday morning on McCallie Avenue in which three were killed.
Ms. Wamp said, "We won’t hide from the word 'gang'. This violence is gang related. Period. We cannot fix the problem until we are honest about the problem."
Attorney Brooks said, "The fact is, most victims of this recent maelstrom of violence were simply out with their friends or attending a graduate student’s birthday party. Using those terms is a racist dog whistle, implying that any young black victim of gun crime is involved in a gang. Gun violence has no place anywhere, especially not here in Hamilton County.
"As the Democratic nominee for the office of Hamilton County District Attorney, I believe it’s important to be professional, efficient and fair when addressing situations like the shootings that have recently plagued our community. We’re not alone here in Hamilton County, as communities such as Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, New York, have seen the impact of mass shootings too.
"This isn’t a partisan issue; it’s a public health issue. Gun violence is the leading cause of premature deaths in the United States. That includes 18,000 people this year alone. Through my platform, I’ll explain how a knowledgeable, experienced district attorney can use that office to reduce violent crimes.
"When crimes like these occur, we must first look to the victims/witnesses to ensure their safety and provide care. Next we must work with law enforcement, giving them the resources they need to determine the cause of the crime. Last, we must prosecute in a way that guarantees justice for the victims and their families.
"Building personal relationships is critical to the work of a district attorney. True, the DA must work closely with the individuals trying to solve the case, but the DA also must know and earn the trust of the community affected by crime. That means being willing to hear from people who may not agree with you politically or who feel the system is working against them. When all parties have bought in - from law enforcement to government officials to the impacted citizens - you can solve cases efficiently and work to prevent crime.
"Currently our DA’s office has several problems stemming from a lack of these personal relationships: witnesses scared to come forward, extremely backlogged cases, and a strong distrust from the community we serve. We must do better in all these areas to be efficient.
"The Hamilton County Courthouse displays the scales of justice to represent impartiality and the obligation of the law to weigh the evidence presented. How can a candidate for district attorney claim they’ll be fair to the community if they also say they’ll be on the side of those that enforce the law? Fair is hearing both sides of a story and letting the evidence - not a badge - be the determining factor of guilt. Fair is focusing on prosecuting and preventing violent crimes in our community.
"If elected district attorney, I will work with Police Chief Celeste Murphy and Mayor Tim Kelly in any way I can. That means opening my office doors to the victims of senseless gun crimes, allowing the fine officers of the CPD to investigate those crimes - and not making any assumptions or public statements about the nature of those crimes before those things have happened."