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Gun violence in city is down, police say

BY STAN FINGER

The Wichita Eagle

A recent spike in gun violence is obscuring the fact that weapon-related crimes have fallen significantly in Wichita so far this year, police said Thursday.

The latest shooting occurred Wednesday night, when a man police described as a documented gang member ambushed another man arriving home from work, shooting him several times in his driveway. The victim was taken to Wesley Medical Center, where he was in critical condition Thursday. The suspect was arrested a few blocks away as he fled.

Capt. Brent Allred on Thursday acknowledged a recent surge in assaults with weapons.

"We see this spike, generally, in the summer months," he said. "People are outside.... Kids are out of school. There's more stuff going on. The weather's hotter. The economy's not the best right now. There's a lot of factors that contribute to it."

The victim and his attacker, both 21, had an argument two days ago that also involved several other people at the victim's house in the 1600 block of North Erie, Allred said. Investigators are trying to determine whether that fight led to the shooting.

"We believe, at this time, it is gang-related," Allred said.

Shootings have seemed commonplace recently:

• Renato Gurrola, 29, died Tuesday, more than two weeks after being shot as he drove away from a club, El Patron, at 37th North and Broadway.

• Brandon Moore, 22, was shot to death inside Big Chub's King of Clubs at 31st South and Seneca early July 27.

Police are still trying to identify suspects in those homicides.

• James Ware, 34, was shot several times by three officers in the parking lot of Max's Club, 1206 S. Rock Road, early Sunday when police say he refused to put down a rifle he had retrieved from his car and then turned toward them with it.

Ware was in fair condition Thursday at Wesley Medical Center.

Despite these recent incidents, Allred said, he hasn't seen "a huge increase" in gun violence in the city.

Statistics back him up.

Through the end of July, the number of aggravated assaults -- basically, attacks with a weapon involved -- are down more than 7 percent over the same period last year, according to data provided by the police.

Drive-by assaults are down more than 3 percent, and other firearms assaults are down more than 19 percent. The number of total assaults in July was virtually identical to July last year.

"There's no way to stop every incident," Allred said.

But police are going to continue to "press forward... to try to get violent gang members off the streets," he said.

Reach Stan Finger at 316-268-6437 or sfinger@wichitaeagle.com.

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