GAINESVILLE, Ga. — Gainesville Police Chief Jay Parrish took to the airwaves of the city's public access cable channel on Friday in an unprecedented move to reassure residents after what he described as "four random, unrelated acts of gun violence" in the city within the past five weeks.
In the video, Parrish says that arrests have occurred in two of the four incidents.
"We understand your alarm and concern for your safety in this city," Parrish said. "We know that random acts of violence are not the norm for Gainesville, Georgia."
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He said his crews are working to solve the two remaining homicides that have occurred, including the most recent -- the shooting death of a man outside a CVS Pharmacy on Parkhill Drive on Thursday night.
In the other shooting incidents,
- On Jan. 24, a Huddle House employee was critically wounded after being shot several times at a Huddle House restaurant on Jesse Jewell Parkway. Police said the 60-year-old victim is expected to survive.
- On Jan. 19, a man was shot and killed in the area of Desota Street. Gainesville Police said that victim died at the scene.
- On Jan. 14, a man who showed up at a dermatology clinic on South Enota with a gun, was shot and killed by police officers, according to Gainesville Police. That incident is being investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, as is customary in officer-involved shootings.
Parrish invites everyone to follow the Gainesville Police Department on social media for continued updates on the homicides or any other cases their department is working on.
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