After two homicides this weekend, Hartford hopes programs help prevent future violence

Two separate shootings left two men dead in the span of a couple of hours overnight in Hartford.

Police say the gunfire on Burton Street and Fishfry Street were not connected.

“Any death in our city is a serious incident and something that I take really personally, Our team takes really personally. These are two lives lost in the city and it's an ongoing investigation,” said Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam, D – Hartford.

The number of homicides in Hartford is down this year compared to last year at this time.

Recently the city brought back police walking beats.

“I think the walking beats in Hartford are, I think they're going to be very good,” said Pastor AJ Johnson, Urban Hope Refuge Church.

Some 20 officers are part of a new community policing initiative.

The goals include increasing safety and building trust and relationships with residents.

“I think the way that we get those positive interactions is by having officers that know the people in the neighborhood, who can identify them, and when they show up to a call, they can say, I know so and so, and it not just be a stranger,” said Johnson.

Also, it was just announced that half a million dollars in federal funding will go toward Mothers United Against Violence to focus on mental health.

And the city is looking for other ways to reduce violence.

“We've been proactive in trying to go after illegal guns in the city. We just seized 24 firearms in the city,” said Arulampalam.

The city is also working with local nonprofits and hospitals so anyone who arrives in the ER with a gunshot wound is connected with resources to help prevent them from later taking their pain out on others.

And gyms across the city are open from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. to give kids a safe place to be at night.

“I think it's worked really well. We have over 1,000 kids signed up for night gyms, getting in the safe spaces, doing active things, and working in productive ways to keep themselves in a good place,” said Arulampalam.

As for the two homicide cases from this weekend, anyone who has any information is asked to reach out to police.