We mentioned earlier today that Saturday's homicide in Richmond brings the murder rate on par, for the first seven months of the year, with the city's total homicides in 2010, totaling 21. Much of the violence, including nine people shot and killed in July alone, has been attributed to tit-for-tat retaliations between rival gangs in Richmond and unincorporated North Richmond. Today, starting at 4 p.m., City Councilmember Corky Booze (that is his real name) is convening a community meeting and inviting residents from both communities to attend and discuss what might be able to be done about the violence.
Last week they announced a joint city-county gang task force to address the murders, the officers on the force hit the streets the following day, July 22.
But now law enforcement officials say they need the community's help to break the cycle of violence. Otherwise, the troubled city is on track to double its homicide rate in a single year.
