Long Beach’s police chief speaks out about the rise in violent crime in the city

A veteran cleaning his garden, a teenager walking home from work and a Salesperson Fruit sales in the middle of the afternoon are just some of the people killed in fatal shootings in Long Beach this year.

“I was walking everywhere all the time,” said resident Lucea Marquez. “But now I can’t feel safe.”

In the first five months of the year, Long Beach police said they have seen an increase in shootings and murders. So far this year, there have been 137 shootings across the city, injuring 61 people, an 8% increase from the same period last year. The number of murders has also risen sharply, with nine so far this year, four more than the number expected in 2023.

Some of the shootings occur in the heart of Long Beach neighborhoods and unfortunately leave their mark. A memorial to the 17-year-old stands on a sidewalk in front of Briana Soto’s family home. She was shot as she walked home. Police have not found her killer.

“Anytime someone loses their life, it concerns me,” Long Beach Police Chief Wally Hebeish said.

Hebeish attributed the increase in shootings and murders to gang violence.

“What we’re seeing now is that a gang is involved in more shootings than in the previous two years,” he said.

In May, the department created a new High Crime Focus Team whose sole mission is to identify high-risk areas and individuals.

“Most of the shootings are in our central area, so west, south and north Long Beach,” Hebeish said. “These are the areas where we want to use the resources at our disposal.”

However, this move comes at a time when there is a shortage of officers in the department. Still, officials claim that 80% of killings have resulted in an arrest.

“It’s not just about having a police officer on every corner,” Hebeish said. “While I would like to, it goes beyond law enforcement.”

The department also works with community groups such as gang intervention organizations. Hebeish believes both enforcement and community support will help bring about change.

“We are committed to the entire city and doing what we can to keep everyone safe,” he said.