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Mayor's office responds to violent two days in Baton Rouge
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BATON ROUGE- Less than a week after Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome promised to address the skyrocketing murder rate, another six people were shot with three killed in the city.
Broome's Chief Administrative Officer James Llorens told WBRZ Friday the violence is not a sign their efforts are in vain.
"Of course this administration can pull it off, and yes it is the right way to do it," said Llorens. "It's not a single approach or just one individual, it's the Mayor leading that effort and getting qualified people in law enforcement."
Monday, standing with law enforcement and parish prosecutors, Mayor Broome said the administration will work to clean up communities to make them feel safer and put more police officers on the street.
As of Friday night, the unofficial number of murders for 2017 in the parish is 64. It's the highest rate by far in recent years.
In August, WBRZ interviewed LSU criminologist Ed Shihadeh who said the 2016 August flood was a major contributor to this year's murder rate.
"When something that disorganizes a city, you will see a rise in crime overall in the entire community, until the city has a chance to reorganize itself," he said.
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