Providence Police cracking down on gun crimes

By: Chloe Leshner

cleshner@abc6.com

@cleshnerabc6

Another weekend of violence forcing Providence Police to crack down on gun crimes. 

Shell casings littered the street outside of a family home on Sunday afternoon, another act of gun violence, that Providence Police say they’re now putting an increased focus on.

Providence Police, coming out of a busy weekend. They responded to 2 different gun crimes within a few hours of each other on Sunday.

"They were very quick responders and I thank them for protecting us," says Louis Salazar, a neighbor.

Witnesses of the afternoon drive by shooting are thankful no one was seriously injured. A section of Newark Street roped off with crime scene tape for an hour as detectives collected evidence and talked to witnesses after a man on a blue and white motorcycle drove by a family cookout and shot 37 year old Pablo Baez in the legs. Family members say he’s recovering well.

It’s recent violent crimes like this that have encouraged Providence Police to be proactive. Commander Thomas Verdi tells us the recent gun violence has the department increasing its efforts and focusing in on gun crimes.

Just yesterday officers on patrol on Friendship Street arrested a man who led them on a chase, throwing a gun away as he tried to escape. That man, 25–year–old Dante Christal is now facing gun charges.

© WLNE-TV / ABC6 2017