Crime & Safety

Gun Violence Rising In Sarasota, Police Presence Increased: SPD

There were 3 shooting deaths in Sarasota from Jan. 1 and Feb. 6, police said. Residents can expect increased officer presence in the city.

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Interim Chief Rex Troche recently met with the Sarasota Police Department's Community Action Team to address gun-related violence in the city.
Interim Chief Rex Troche recently met with the Sarasota Police Department's Community Action Team to address gun-related violence in the city. (Courtesy Sarasota Police Department)

SARASOTA, FL — After seeing an increase in shootings in recent months, including a Feb. 6 shooting where two 16-year-olds fired into a crowd of children, killing a 17-year-old, and a fatal New Year’s Eve shooting at a downtown pizzeria, Sarasota police will increase its presence of uniformed officers throughout the city.

Using “intelligence-led policing,” the Sarasota Police Department will focus most of its efforts in “high-crime areas,” including the city’s north district, Genevieve Judge, the agency’s public information officer said.

Interim Chief Rex Troche met with the department’s Community Action Team officers Wednesday to discuss how the agency can use its resources to address the spike in shootings.

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“Residents and visitors can expect to see an increase of officers throughout the city of Sarasota where data shows a high rate of crime happening,” Judge said.

From Jan. 1 to Feb. 6, there were 11 cases with evidence of shots fired in Sarasota, according to data provided by SPD. During this time, there were four cases with victims shot and six victims total, including three killed.

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The city of Sarasota has already recorded more shooting deaths in the first five weeks of 2022 than it did in both 2018 and 2020, according to police data. (Sarasota Police)

Though it’s been just a little over a month into the new year, the city is on track to possibly outpace its shooting statistics from the last four years. In 2021, there were 53 cases with evidence of shots fired, 15 cases where victims were shot and 16 total victims, including five deaths.

There have already been more gun-related deaths in Sarasota this year than in 2018 and 2020, which saw two and one deaths, respectively.

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