Crime spree spurs police chief to stand against criminal subculture

GULFPORT -- Within about 10 hours Wednesday, a man was shot in the face during a drug deal, shots were fired as school buses headed to bus stops, a man used a gun in an armed robbery and a man implied he had a gun in a different robbery.

That's according to Police Chief Leonard Papania, who said in a news conference Thursday the criminal subculture is thriving in Gulfport and elsewhere. He said lawmakers can help police better do their jobs by getting input from law enforcement on gun laws.

He discussed the latest crimes and related issues.

"Each of these crimes involved firearms or involved implied firearms," he said. "It is a distinct loss in moral fiber when our young people have the ability to shoot one another and kill one another."

Papania had coined the phrase criminal subculture, expressing his concerns after a deadly weekend of unrelated killings in April. He gave this warning to those who embrace a lifestyle of crime and violence: "You can either change, you can leave or you can go to prison."

Nearly a year later, crimes of violence in Gulfport are down a bit but much of the city's crime is still committed by the criminal subculture, he said.

The crime spree

Wednesday's series of violent crimes began when a masked man when in to Loan Max at 422 Pass Road, implied he had a gun and demanded money.

Later, as school buses were heading to bus stops to drop off students, shots were fired in the 800 block of 19th Avenue. Police who were nearby began routing school buses away from the area.

Police found a man who has been arrested repeatedly for discharging a firearm in the city, Papania said. Ray Anthony Harvey had been smoking marijuana and shooting a gun in his backyard, he said. Police arrested Harvey, 25, on charges of discharging a firearm and possession of marijuana.

Meanwhile, an armed man robbed the Chevron on West Railroad Street near Kelly Avenue. Police have identified the robber as William Crittendon, Papania said, and have obtained an arrest warrant.

About 8 p.m., police learned a man had been shot in the face during "an illegal drug transaction" on West David Drive, the chief said. The neighborhood is in Loren D. Heights south of Dedeaux Road.

On gun laws

Papania said he did not want to make a political statement but he made one thing clear: Lawmakers must get input from law enforcement when they propose changes to gun laws.

But they don't, he said. "It befuddles me."

Papania said it's not that he's against guns. He said he supports gun ownership, and his department has trained more than 800 people on safe gun use since he took office.

As a member of the Mississippi Association of Chiefs of Police, he said he's been confounded that legislators have not responded to phone calls to add law enforcement to the discussion on gun laws.

For instance, he pointed to House Bill 870, which would allow people to carry loaded, concealed handguns in public without a permit. The author of the bill has ignored the association's requests to talk about it, he said. "There are some nuances to this (bill) that need to be addressed."

He gave another example, of a guy standing in a median holding an AK47.

"I should be able to go over there and engage him in conversation," Papania said. "The law doesn't allow that."

Papania said he doesn't want to argue politics, "but I want to work with anyone who wants to get involved. We've got to stop politicking and start making a safer community."

There is hope, he said, in residents and groups working with police to help reduce crime.

Gulfport and Biloxi police will soon begin to meet with a ministerial association on a quarterly basis, he said.

"We will continue to work tirelessly," he said.

This story was originally published March 4, 2016 at 6:29 AM with the headline "Crime spree spurs police chief to stand against criminal subculture ."