After 2 shootings in 2 days, North Central 'sombre' but resilient, says community association head

A man was shot in Regina's North Central neighbourhood and transported to hospital before daybreak on Tuesday morning — the second shooting in two days in the area.

"Bang. Bang."

That's the sound a woman who lives a few houses away from the crime scene said she heard around 5:00 a.m. CST. She was awoken from her sleep in her second-storey bedroom.

Following the loud sounds, she heard what sounded like crying and moaning.

"I thought it was an animal," she said. 

The woman declined to identify herself publicly, saying "then they'll come after me." 

On Monday morning, a man was shot on the 900 block of Retallack Street.

"It's a, I guess, a bit of a sombre mood," said Murray Giesbrecht, the new executive director of the North Central Community Association. 

"There's some general disappointment anytime something like this happens, but I also see some resiliency in this community."

Amid the violence, people have found security at mâmawêyatitân centre in "the heart of North Central," he said. The integrated, multi-service facility opened its doors in September. 

"It's very important that people can feel good about where they are despite some of these violent incidents," Giesbrecht said.

He's hopeful the centre might shine a lot on the positive opportunities and connections that exist within the community. 

Exploring solutions

Giesbrecht said there are continuous discussions about what can be done to end the violence in the neighbourhood.

"Is it prevention? Is it education or is it more programming to help people escape these lifestyles?"

First and foremost, he said prevention work should happen through children's education.

"Working with our younger people here, helping them understand the implications of these types of events and the impact it has on families" is key, he said, noting that has to start with the youngest population. 

"From what I understand, some of the gangs have been trying to recruit kids in the elementary school." 

He said there also needs to be programming for people trying to leave a violent lifestyle. 

"I think a lot of people would probably like to get out of it, but they find themselves asking the question, 'Well where do I go and what do I do?'"

Collaborations between the community association, the police, the school, the White Pony Lodge and other organizations will help, he said. 

A Canada-wide concern

Joel Murray, city councillor for Regina's Ward 6 and a member of the board of police commissioners, said the majority of calls he receives from people in his ward are centred around community safety.

"It's something that, as a city, we're concerned about and as a police commission we're extremely concerned about," Murray said.

He said gun violence is up across Canada, which he attributes in part to an increase in firearm thefts. He said often, guns that weren't stored adequately end up in Regina after being stolen from rural homes surrounding the city.

"We are actively looking at ways we can decrease the amount of firearms accessible to people based on gun amnesties the [Regina Police Service] are undertaking which were very successful last time," Murray said, explaining that a province-wide gun amnesty is being explored.

The program allows people to turn in illegal firearms without facing repercussions.

Murray echoed Giesbrecht's sentiment, saying that the other main way to address gun violence is through proactive programs that target youth prior to gang recruitment. He said The Regina intersectoral Partnership (TRiP) — a collaborative, community-driven safety initiative — is something city council wants to promote and secure funding for.

For now, despite the latest round of shots fired, Giesbrecht said people will carry on. 

"People are always aware of it — and I think it's always certainly in their minds — but I also think that they still feel that they're going to live their daily lives," he said.

"Students are still coming to school. People are coming to the library. People are coming to work," he said, adding attendance at Scott Collegiate, which is in mâmawêyatitân centre, has gone up.

A spokesman for Regina Public Schools said enrolment at the school was up by 28 per cent at the start of this school year, based on official reports to the Ministry of Education. The school had 174 students at Sept. 30, 2016 and 223 as of Sept. 30 of this year.

Giesbrecht said optimism is abundant at mâmawêyatitân centre, especially among the young. 

"The kids are always playing and shooting baskets and, you know, engaging in some positivity with one another, building relationships."