‘How could this happen again?’: SPD Chief Lenny Gunther speaks with local businesses after another major shooting near Ellis Square

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Friday, local businesses met with the Savannah Police Department, raising their questions and concerns as violent crime becomes an unwanted norm near Ellis Square.

This conversation falls after a Saturday morning shooting on Congress Street left four men shot, which fell just days after the one-year anniversary of a mass shooting in the same area.

“For me, to reminisce on that and drive to the scene, you can imagine what’s going through my head. ‘How could this happen again? Did we do anything wrong as a police department? Were we not there,” asked SPD’s Chief Lenny Gunther.

Locals said those same thoughts and questions have been plaguing their minds as well.

“We’ve got a house on fire, which is Ellis Square, and we’re talking about changing the curtains,” said Mike Vaquer with The Vaquer Firm.

The department addressed some of those concerns, coming forward with a new plan to increase officers’ presence in the area. Chief Gunther, along with other members of the department, presented a plan to work on some of the issues while the department sits with about 100 vacancies.

With a shortage in staff, they’re looking for ways to increase their visibility, planning to move their mobile command center to Ellis Square and make their officers wear reflective vests to make sure they’re easily seen in the crowds.

Despite the plan, some local leaders were still skeptical.

“A year ago, we had a mass shooting with much more victims than this. Presumably there was a plan after that,” said Michael Owens, the President and CEO of the Tourism Leadership Council. “Why was that plan ineffective and what’s the difference between that plan and the one you’re talking about today?”

Chief Gunther responded saying, “the difference is raising the level of accountability. When I say that I’m going to be down there monitoring, that’s raising the level of accountability. This time, our technology is heightened. We have more cameras registered and integrated.”

Local business owners also voiced their frustrations with SPD’s slow response times.

“People that we kick out say, ‘I’m going to go and get a gun and spray y’all up.’ And then we call the police, and an hour goes by and nobody comes,” said Gregg Dietrich, the General Manager at Sorry Charlie’s and the Congress Street Social Club.

Chief Gunther acknowledged that more needs to be done. He even said he’s heard concerns coming from his own mother.

“She said, ‘listen, I really don’t feel safe going downtown,’” said Chief Gunther. “We’re not here to make any excuses. I think that when you have any strategic plan, or plan in place, you have to be ready to pivot and change, make the changes you have to if you think something doesn’t work. Our job today is to listen and acknowledge that there is a... fear.”