All Chattanoogans should be greatly alarmed and angered by the highly dangerous and reckless shootings Saturday night in North Chattanooga, resulting in wounds to five people.
Since the shootings occurred in a large crowd, there could easily have been some deaths. But that five people reportedly suffered leg wounds was quite serious.
It was reported that a crowd had gathered on River Street, near Coolidge Park. For reasons not immediately clear, gunplay erupted. No one was supposed to be carrying guns there. It was suspected that the trouble erupted from animosities between two "gangs."
There have been troubling reports for some time about local gang activity.
Police have difficulty assuring peace and safety when there are people in a crowd who are stupidly, dangerously and irresponsibly carrying firearms and using them illegally. As bad as the situation was, it could so easily have been an occasion of multiple fatalities.
Our people, of all ages and in all localities, should have reason to feel they can safely congregate and move about without any threats to their personal safety. Unfortunately, that obviously is not the case.
There should be determined efforts to identify the shooters and to set an example of strict law enforcement by prosecuting them and giving the guilty parties the maximum penalties provided by our laws.
We should be far removed today from the old "wild West," when grudges resulted in shoot-outs in the streets. Such things may be picturesque in Western movies, but nothing resembling such things can be tolerated here and now.
We are concerned about the safety of all of our citizens. Anyone who endangers our people should be dealt with firmly by our police and our laws to send the message that no such threats will be tolerated.