SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – There is more gun violence and homicide in Shreveport in 2023 than last year and the city’s mayor and police chief are searching for ways to keep citizens safer.

Fourteen people were shot in Shreveport late Saturday and early Sunday morning in two separate shooting incidents.

“Every one of these shootings affects me because I care about every single citizen of Shreveport,” Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux said. “So, every time I see a shooting, I have a citizen who’s been injured. I probably have a citizen who’s been alarmed or frightened. And I feel very much for those citizens, so every single one of these has a direct impact on me as well, because I am a part of the city of Shreveport.”

Eight people were shot at a cookout on Logan Street Friday night just before 11 p.m.

Less than three hours later, Shreveport police responded to a shooting on Texas Street where six people were injured and one of them subsequently died.

“The whole system has got to work together,” Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith said. “Seldom, do we encounter people who are new to the criminal justice system. In most cases, they’ve started as a young adult, with you know smaller crimes, and it has progressed over the course of time to these major crimes.”

The 19-year-old suspect was arrested.

Part of the plan is to bring other law enforcement agencies in to help SPD investigate and identify some of the criminal elements.

“Bringing in additional agencies focuses more intelligence on the people that are likely to commit these crimes,” Arceneaux said. “And also, can perhaps help us arrest people who are possessing either illegal weapons in and of themselves or who are persons who are not entitled to possess weapons at all.”

Chief Smith and Mayor Arceneaux have agreed to bring in other agencies to help change law enforcement.

“We just got to pull our resources as best we can and work for the common goal which is to make our community as safe as it can,” Smith said.