A curfew will be instated across the entire Mississippi Delta in an effort to curb gun violence, if cities answer the call from one local lawmaker.
Senate Minority Leader Derrick T. Simmons, a Democrat from Greenville, issued a press release urging towns and cities in the region to follow the lead of his home city. Greenville, whose mayor is the lawmaker’s twin brother, recently declared a state of emergency that includes a citywide curfew.
“As we grieve the lives lost of many in our communities and our region we must act,” Simmons said. “I commend Mayor Errick D. Simmons and the City of Greenville for their decisive leadership in declaring a state of emergency and implementing a citywide curfew aimed at curbing the rising tide of gun violence.”
Simmons said Delta cities such as Greenwood and Clarksdale, among others, should take a “bold, proactive step” in implementing their own curfews to combat crime.
“I am calling on all cities and towns across the Mississippi Delta to follow suit,” he added. “We can no longer wait until tragedy strikes to respond. Our children and communities deserve safe streets, peaceful summers, and a future free from fear.”
This past Memorial Day, a 10-year-old was shot and killed while riding in a car with her mother in Greenwood. Per a report from Delta News TV, Zameria Jones was shot when two vehicles pulled up and opened fire on the mother’s vehicle. She was transported to a hospital in Jackson, where she succumbed to her injuries.
Crime has been an ongoing issue in the Delta, which is the state’s most rural region and struggles with police staffing levels, with community leaders and lawmakers such as Simmons working to implement initiatives and protocols to address gun violence.
