FLORENCE, SC (WBTW) – Since 2014 the Florence Police Department have responded to nearly 350 calls at apartments located at 417 South Church Street in Florence.
The shooting that happened Tuesday morning is one of many trips officers have made to the apartment complex.
“When we looked over the last two years, more than 133 reports we’ve taken and of those 133 reports, 101 of them have been criminal activity,” Police Chief Alan Heidler.
Heidler says the calls police have responded to range from domestic violence to drugs.
“The greatest number of arrests in that location came from narcotics violations,” Heidler said.
It’s something residents say causes concern for people who live nearby.
“Well it doesn’t make you feel safe, because you wonder if you may get hit by a stray bullet,” explained resident Dale Purslow.
But those numbers pale in comparison to the number of visits police have made to the apartments
“We dealt with the property owner years ago that was trying to work with us and we were making some steps and some gains towards reducing the activity in that location and then they just stopped working with us,” said Heidler.
“If I had the money I would get rid of the people that are not being positive over there and turn it into something good,” added Purslow.
Police Chief Alan Heidler told me that police are working with the 12th Judicial Circuit and the solicitors office for plans to help reduce the number of violent crimes.
