After a spike in violent crime, members of the Pine Hills community held a town hall meeting Wednesday night.

  • Members of the Pine Hills community met Wednesday night
  • Students from Evans High School joined the discussion
  • Community policing, sending in tips were discussed

Residents packed the room at the Barnett Park Administration Building to discuss solutions to the increasing violence.

Among the crowd were students from Evans High School. They’re part of an after school group called Future Leaders United. Students said they felt they needed to add their insight in order to see change in their community.

The group’s president said he’s lived in Pine Hills his whole life, and he’s seen the crime slowly increase year after year.

“When I grew up here, there wasn’t a lot of that and then all of a sudden it was months in between months, then weeks, and now like days and hours,” said Julien O’Neil. “And, it is very unsettling.”

After school programs were a major part of Wednesday night’s discussion. Members of the Pine Hills community also discussed community policing, sending in tips about crime before it happens, and for people to be willing to come forward if they witness crime.