PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. — Prince George's County Police Chief Malik Aziz said that it will take more than his department to curb a trend of violent crime among teenagers in the county.
His statement comes just a day after a 15-year-old 7-Eleven employee was shot and killed at the store he worked at off of Ritchie Road in Capitol Heights, Md., Aziz said. Three other people were injured during the incident.
"The violence that we're seeing in our community should not be tolerated in the we have to have accountability from parents we have to have accountability in the system,” Aziz said while addressing the press at a separate shooting.
Solomon Lynch, who lives near where the shooting took place, said he believes the violence is to blame on a generation that struggles to appropriately deal with conflict.
"I have seen a rise and problem where they get more aggressive toward each other," Lynch said. "A lot faster."
Eric Weaver also lives near the 7-Eleven and lost his son to gun violence three years ago. He now runs an organization called "Cure the Streets" that aims to reduce youth violence, but he said the perpetrators are only getting younger.
"I think it's the worst feeling in the world and something that sticks in my head," Weaver said. "So it's really starting to, I think, weigh on the community that these babies are getting guns and these babies are just like getting killed."
In addition to the 7-Eleven incident on Saturday, two other teenagers were injured during a shooting at an AMC movie theater in Largo.
County Executive Angela Alsobrooks said she will be speaking with the media on Monday to discuss the crime within the county.