Lewon leaders debate causes and fixes after police report 12 juvenile-involved shootings this year

Lewon’s mayor convened a special city council meeting Tuesday to hear how the city is responding to a spike in shootings that officials say increasingly involve juveniles.

Police Chief Carly Connley told council members that Lewon had recorded 19 shootings so far in 2026, 12 of which involved juveniles, and that the department’s clearance rate for shootings this year was about 68%, compared with a cited national average of about 31%. The department reported seizing 44 firearms year to date (41 handguns, three rifles/shotguns) and said five of 11 guns seized during a recent saturation effort were stolen.

Connley said the department increased foot patrols after a spike in April and reallocated specialized units, carried out saturation patrols with federal partners, and credited tools such as automatic license-plate readers with helping solve shootings. She also described a planned purchase budgeted this year of a first-responder drone that would connect to dispatch and reach scenes before officers can arrive.

Beyond enforcement, Connley urged residents to “secure your firearms” and said many guns recovered from crime scenes were taken from unlocked vehicles. She rejected simple local-law solutions as inadequate on their own, noting city ordinances such as curfews provide limited penalties and cannot supersede state statute.

“An ordinance really can be associated with a fine,” Connley said. “It’s not associated with any sort of detainment.”

Council members asked whether cities could pass ordinances to hold juveniles or parents more strictly accountable; officials repeatedly answered that statutes set by the state largely determine detention and charging authority. Several councilors also pressed for immediate, practical steps such as increased patrols and community reporting channels.

Context and next steps

The police presentation prompted other officials and community leaders to call for coordinated responses that combine enforcement with prevention. District Attorney Neil Mlan told the meeting his office had assigned two prosecutors primarily to gun-violence cases but said the district overall faces a heavy caseload and staffing shortfalls that limit resources for gun cases and juveniles. He urged the legislature to address pay parity and supply more prosecutors.

Community groups and the superintendent of schools described parallel prevention needs. Lewon School Superintendent Jake Langless said the district had expelled about 15 students this year for violent acts and emphasized re-entry plans and the need for affordable extracurricular options for at-risk youth. Local nonprofits and a restorative-justice practitioner urged immediate street-level outreach and mentoring while acknowledging that stable funding would expand their reach.

What officials asked from the public

Officials pressed two simple, immediate prevention steps for residents: report suspicious activity promptly via dispatch or anonymous tip lines, and safely store firearms. Connley and others emphasized that community tips have led to arrests and recovered firearms and urged people to use the department tip line and online reporter tools.

What this meeting changes

No formal votes or ordinance changes were taken at the session. Instead, local leaders used the meeting to publicize the scope of the problem, outline steps already taken by police, and catalog short- and medium-term needs: more prosecutors and juvenile-focused staff, state-level statutory review of juvenile competency and detention rules, and funding for prevention programs.

The council and presenters said they will pursue follow-up meetings with state legislators and local partners to press for funding and statutory changes the DA and police said are needed to expand detention options, juvenile programming, and wraparound services for at-risk youth.

Quote highlights

"We’ve had 19 shootings. Twelve have involved juveniles," Lewon Police Chief Carly Connley said, urging secure firearm storage and community reporting. "When you see something suspicious, call us."

Deputy and prosecutorial constraints

DA Neil Mlan warned of a human-resources shortfall in the prosecutor’s office and asked the community to press the legislature for more funding and pay parity so the office can recruit and retain prosecutors to handle an increasing load of complex cases, including juvenile competency evaluations. "Eight prosecutors for a district like this is impossible," Mlan said.

What to watch next

City and county officials said they will seek meetings with legislative delegations to consider statutory changes; community groups said they will pursue grant and foundation funding and reach out to state public-health resources. The council did not vote on new policy during the meeting; the next steps are expected to be advocacy to the state and follow-up coordination among local agencies.

Reporting note: All quotes and factual claims in this article come from presentations and exchanges at the Lewon City Council special meeting on youth gun violence (special meeting, July 2026).