Downtown Greensboro, NC

Photo from Unsplash by Elijah Mears

GREENSBORO, N.C. ---

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Darrick Kelly, 21 was the city's first homicide of 2021. The year of 2020 brought a record breaking 61 homicides in the city whereas 2019 had the city’s previous high of 45. Nearly two months into 2021, public information officer, Ron Glenn, says the number of homicides is already trending higher, projecting another record year. 

Based on public records the homicide rate has been steadily trending up for over a decade, excluding a few years. Sargent Grant Lowe has been on the force for nearly 30 years. He has watched as the crime rate continues to increase. Sargent Lowe says a majority of domestic cases are scattered around the four districts of the city (figure one) and are mostly related to gangs, money or drugs.                                                 

“In most cases the person involved had a shaky past and is in high risk situations doing high risk things,” Sargent Lowe says. Despite what some residents believe it has been found that in recent years gang related activity makes up ¼ of homicides in the area. The violence however is normally not related to specific gang affiliation, yet within the gangs themselves.

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Despite numbers trending higher, Office Glenn says “our desire is to make sure that we are working as hard as we can to solve any crimes that are occuring in the city.” The recent national conversation around Defunding the Police is not deterring Greensboro officers from doing the most they can. Sargent Lowe even says that homicide investigations are taking priority in the city and have not only been fully funded, but also fully staffed with new positions opening.

 

Officer Glenn says the police department continues to work with city council and local crime stoppers. Greensboro continues to add detectives to their homicide unit. Sargent Lowe will be retiring in May of 2021 after nearly 30 years on the force. Sargent Lowe says, “it’s been a good ride but it’s time. Things are changing.”

 

If you have any tips on the death of Darrick Kelly please contact Greensboro Crime Stoppers at (336) 373-1000.