In 2023, Worcester witnessed a significant reduction in homicides, with the numbers dropping by half compared to the previous year. Additionally, most types of property crimes saw a decline.
However, the city experienced a rise in several violent crimes, particularly those involving firearms.
The City Council is set to review the crime statistics from the past year in their upcoming Tuesday meeting. This review comes on the heels of a double homicide that deeply affected the community.
On March 5, around 3 p.m., Dejan D. Belnavis, 27, and Karel Mangual, 28, targeted an SUV on Englewood Avenue. Their gunfire resulted in the tragic deaths of 27-year-old Chasity Nuñez and her daughter, Zella.
This year, Worcester has recorded four homicides, including the losses of Chasity and Zella. Earlier, a 17-year-old male was shot on Shannon Street on February 12, and a woman was fatally stabbed in her Douglas Street apartment on February 14.
Following a traffic stop in San Diego, Belnavis was apprehended on March 11. Mangual was captured in Worcester on March 6.
Despite these tragic events, City Manager Eric D. Batista reassures the community that Worcester remains relatively safe compared to other cities of similar size. He emphasizes that violence is still an uncommon occurrence in the city.
Each spring, the city publishes its annual crime statistics. The 2022 report showed a decrease in most crime categories, with the notable exception of homicides.
The increase in homicides last year was partly attributed to the deadly Gage Street fire in May, which claimed four lives. A former resident of the building at 2 Gage St., accused of starting the fire, faces charges of second-degree murder.
Interim Police Chief Paul B. Saucier noted that reported homicides decreased from 12 in 2022 to six in 2023. While stabbings reached a multi-year low with 77 incidents, nonfatal shootings increased. The city saw 34 non-fatal shootings with 39 victims in 2023, up from 25 shootings with 34 victims the previous year.
Reported gunshots and robberies also saw an increase in 2023, with gunshots 26% above the five-year average and robberies rising from 173 in 2022 to 225.
On the other hand, reported property crimes such as breaking and entering, vandalism, and larceny from motor vehicles all experienced significant drops. However, motor vehicle thefts rose, surpassing the five-year average.
The city also saw a slight increase in traffic accidents and a steady number of noise disturbance reports in 2023.
Chief Saucier highlighted various strategies the Worcester police are employing to tackle violence, including community policing, technological tools like ShotSpotter and ResourceRouter, collaboration with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and programs for at-risk youth.
The City Council will also discuss public safety-related topics, including a petition to exempt the chief of police and deputy chief positions from the Massachusetts Civil Service exam. This move aims to broaden the pool of candidates for these roles.
An over-100-page racial equity audit of the police, conducted by the independent research organization CNA, was submitted to the City Council.
City Manager Batista plans to brief the City Council on the search for a full-time chief, noting that the civil service exam could limit the search.
Councilor-at-Large Khrystian King has requested language to remove the civil service requirement for the police chief position to expand the applicant pool. This order was sent to Batista in October.
Batista also reviewed the Police Department’s off-duty detail and overtime assignments following the arrest of Officer Colby Turner on charges of larceny and submitting false claims for reimbursement. The review found the system susceptible to fraud but identified no other criminal activity.
Councilor-at-Large Kathleen Toomey’s nonbinding resolution on illegal gun laws is up for consideration again. Toomey advocates for the full enforcement of existing laws and additional legislation to mandate sentencing for illegal firearm possession.
Toomey expressed her concerns on X, emphasizing the need for strict enforcement of gun laws, especially for repeat offenders and those with a history of gun violence, to prevent further tragedies.