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HAMPTON COUNTY, S.C. — On Monday evening, the sheriff and his team from the Hampton County Sheriff’s Office hosted a town hall to engage with residents and address their queries and concerns.
This gathering followed a recent media briefing by Sheriff Anthony Russell, who had discussed a series of recent criminal activities. Since that briefing, additional incidents have occurred, including a tragic shooting that resulted in the arrest of a 17-year-old.
During the meeting, discussions largely centered on issues plaguing the southern part of Hampton County, such as scams, violence, thefts, and an increase in stray dogs. However, youth crime emerged as a primary topic among attendees.
One concerned resident remarked, “We need to restart these programs to keep these young minds engaged. They’re suffering from boredom.”
Several community members pointed out that many youth recreational initiatives were halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which they believe has significantly contributed to the rise in youth-related crimes.
The sheriff agreed and confirmed that juvenile crime has been on the rise, and they’re seeing effects within schools.
“It’s bleeding over into our school system where it’s causing issues within our school district,” said Sheriff Russell.
The sheriff said it can likely be linked to gangs where juveniles are getting access to deadly weapons.
“Is there a pocket that we need to be looking for? Because I mean, seeing semiautomatic weapons in the hands of 13–14-year-olds isn’t right. It’s just really scary,” said a community member.
The sheriff’s office couldn’t say where the guns are coming from, but officials said they were looking for the answer. The sheriff also said they hired two new community officers.
One of those officers will be assigned to patrolling the Estill area, which is the south end of the county. They also have increased patrol in the county with unmarked units assigned to patrolling crime hot spots.
“The purpose of that is so they wouldn’t be seen so they can try to, you know, ease up on some of these criminals and catch them in the act of doing crimes,” said Sheriff Russell. “We are taking guns and drugs off the street.”
The sheriff said while they have the means to do their job and bring justice, they need help from the community.
“A lot of times people say things and they’re like, well, you know what? Law enforcement is not hearing us, but we do,” said Russell. “We just need you to talk to us and let us know what you see, what you hear, because you could be holding a piece of the puzzle for us to solve their case.”