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Wilkes-Barre Mayoral Candidates Address City Crime

WILKES-BARRE — As the weather heats up, so is the violence in the city of Wilkes-Barre as police reported shots fired for the second day in a row. The cur...

WILKES-BARRE -- As the weather heats up, so is the violence in the city of Wilkes-Barre as police reported shots fired for the second day in a row.

The current mayor insists his police department is "diligent" in finding who's responsible.

But what about the people running to be the next mayor?

We talked with the Wilkes-Barre Republican and Democratic mayoral candidates, asking what they'll do about the crime in the city. That's the issue folks in Wilkes-Barre want to see addressed, especially after the gunfire that happened Tuesday afternoon and then again early Wednesday morning.

A bullet hole seen through a home's front window shows the damage left behind after were shots fired on Brown Street in Wilkes-Barre.

"Wilkes-Barre's getting bad because there's so many shootings, so many killings and you don't feel safe anymore," said city resident Rose Czerpak.

Shortly after the gunfire on Brown Street, Wilkes-Barre police arrested Abtoin Mouzone.

But some voters in Wilkes-Barre say crime is still a big issue that could sway their decision for mayor come November.

"A shooting in Wilkes-Barre used to be something that made you gasp and go, 'Oh, my god, that doesn't happen here!' Today it happens so often, it's like fireworks on the Fourth of July; nobody even pays it any attention anymore," said Republican mayoral candidate Frank Sorick.

Sorick says, if elected, he'll add officers to the city's police force.

"What needs to be done … is a strong police presence. We need to saturate the areas with patrols. We need to do more and show we're going to target all crimes."

Sorick says he'll pay for the additional men and women in blue by eliminating some positions in City Hall he believes are unnecessary, like the city spokesperson position.

But some voters say they trust Democratic candidate Tony George because of his experience as a former Wilkes-Barre police chief.

"I hope Tony George gets in because I think he'll get the city straightened out. I really do," Czerpak said.

Tony George wasn't available for comment but in a statement from February he said, "I am prepared to reallocate resources, and make Wilkes-Barre a safer place to live and work."

Wilkes-Barre police have been busy this year. In the midst of what happened along Brown Street, police are investigating two homicides that happened earlier this year in the city. And now folks in this community say they're desperate for an answer to end the gun violence.

"People are just reckless. They don't know any better," said city resident Joseph Johnson.

"People don't feel safe anymore. You have to keep your doors locked," Czerpak added.

At this point, Wilkes-Barre police do not believe the shots fired on Brown Street Tuesday and Scott Street Wednesday morning are connected.

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