Sanford Police Chief starts new initiative following double shooting

Officers at the Sanford Police Department are investigating two people shot Tuesday afternoon right near the  Police Department , detectives have no suspects and now the Sanford Police Chief is saying the silence in this community has to stop.

“People are shooting each other, and people don’t want to be part of the solution, we constantly hear, 'we want change, we want justice,' we want all of these things, but nothing is going to happen in this community until that portion of the community makes a decision that they want to actively be a part of it,” said Sanford Police Chief Cecil Smith.

The shooting happened so close to the Police Department that the victims were able to drive themselves to the department where they told officer they’d been shot -- the chief says because of the violence he’s starting a new initiative.

“The initiative that we’re starting today after speaking with the  sheriff elect , we are putting together a task force of officers to deal with the issues that are on the street,” Smith said.

The victims, 17 and 19 years old were transported to the hospital in stable condition, longtime residents like Pastor Mike Vallot agree the community must step up.

“It takes a whole community to take care of this, they can’t do it by themselves,” Vallot said.

Anyone with information on the shooting should contact the Sanford Police Department  or Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS (8477).