NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Members of the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) are set to receive more overtime pay for investigating violent crimes involving guns. The funding will come from a state grant approved by the Metro Council.
This news comes just after a 13-year-old Aayden Hayes was shot and killed at Red Caboose Park in Bellevue on Wednesday, May 29. Authorities said 15-year-old De’Anthony Osasosifo was detained after the shooting and admitted to firing a gun during a fight between two groups of teens at the park.
"Gun deaths are the number one killer of children in the United States right now, which is a disheartening statistic," Metro Councilmember Jeff Preptit said during a meeting.
It’s a grim statistic we are seeing take shape in Tennessee.
On Wednesday, June 5, friends, family, and even strangers honored Aayden's life as they gathered at the same park where the boy was killed and his sister was wounded.
"I'm the 16-year-old sister that got shot along with Aayden, and if it wasn't for him, I really wouldn't be standing here right now," Rayray Hayes said during the Bellevue vigil.
"Over the past couple of weeks, unfortunately, Nashville has experienced a great number of incidents of gun violence," Preptit said.
An MNPD unit was designated to investigate violent crimes involving guns in Nashville neighborhoods. Officials said they’ve seen success with this unit.
“They do a lot of work, whether it's canvassing neighborhoods, following incidents, making leads, collecting shell casings,” MNPD Deputy Chief Chris Gilder said.
However, in order to keep up with the workload, the unit needs overtime pay.
"They go investigate both lethal and nonlethal shootings, and this fund is solely going towards overtime work for them...and so they're going after those folks that are out there, pulling triggers in the community, committing aggravated assaults and homicides," Gilder said.
Gilder said the department has seen improvements when it comes to violent crimes. Year to date, homicides are down 20% and aggravated assaults are down 10%, based on MNPD data.
The Metro Public Health and Safety Committee recommended approval for the overtime grant on Tuesday, June 4.