Leaders in Lewisville are addressing concerns over a recent spike in violent crime. Lewisville's police chief acknowledged the increase in a letter to city residents, saying a rise in shootings and robberies follows a national trend.
"The only thing I can see is there's a spike all across the country," Lewisville Police Chief Kevin Deaver said.
Recent robberies, in which a store clerk and a liquor store owner were killed, have many residents on edge. Those are two of five murders to occur in Lewisville since last June.
The shooting of gas station cashier Ashraf Lakhani Feb. 15 happened three months and a few hundred feet from where liquor store owner Sam Shah was gunned down.
Deaver recently began to issue weekly updates to address concerns and keep Lewisville residents informed about crime-fighting efforts.
"The citizens reached out to us," Deaver said. "They have a concern with the spike in crime, so we wanted to make sure the information they were getting was accurate."
Deaver said crime-fighting efforts have increased in problem areas of Lewisville. Police are trying to work with owners of some hotels and apartment complexes, where crime has been more prevalent. The goal: to make residents feel safer.
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Do they?
"Not really," said Chinequa Johnson, a 17-year resident. "It's outrageous at this point. It's sad. It's heartbreaking."
"I definitely do feel safe," said Jacob Bair, who moved to Lewisville two years ago. "Crime is an issue everywhere, but with the police force we have here, I don't really worry about it when I'm walking down the street."
Police efforts also include working with business owners, many of whom feel vulnerable, Deaver said, especially after the two deadly robberies. Crime statistics for 2018 in Lewisville are not yet available. The chief said he expected to release the numbers next week.
