HAMLET — After drawing some support and much criticism regarding the cancellation Independence Day festivities on Monday, City Manager Jonathan Blanton on Tuesday issued an open letter explaining the decision.
Blanton started by referencing the “apparent gang-related” shooting of 20-year-old Tierrell Martin at the Circle B convenience store less than a week before.
“Since that time, local law enforcement agencies received four reports, all similar in nature, that advised the city that serious acts of violence, specifically random shootings, were being planned at the city’s Fourth of July festivities,” he said.
Blanton added that he met with the Hamlet Police Department to evaluate the reported threats and to assess the credibility of the reports. After deliberation, he made the recommendation to cancel Tuesday’s activities.
“This decision was not entered into abruptly, haphazardly, or as a result of submitting to fear, but instead as a result of the city’s continued commitment to keeping our citizens and community safe,” Blanton said. “The city could not, in good conscience, ignore four separate, serious, and credible reports that specifically named the Fourth of July festivities as the location of a planned shooting less than a week after a homicide within a mile-and-a-half of the planned events.”
Paraphrasing Police Chief Scott Waters, Blanton said that “no amount of police presence would guarantee safety for all those attending,” with fireworks watchers being spread throughout the city.”I share in the great disappointment and frustration of all of you,” he said. “The city has spent a significant amount of time and energy planning the events for the Fourth of July this year and no one is more disappointed in the circumstances than we are. However, please be assured that your concerns, voices and input have been heard by the City and by me personally.”
Blanton also apologized for any confusion caused by the “vagueness” of the initial announcements of the cancellation, but said, “…the Facebook post and press release were both published in an attempt to spread the news that the events were cancelled in the quickest and most concise manner possible, and to protect the integrity of on-going investigations into the communicated threats.”
He added that the city is “firmly committed to transparency, honesty and an open-form of communication” with the community, which is why he wrote the letter.
“Our mayor, Bill Bayless, said it best yesterday when he said, ‘It is always best to err on the side of safety even when we know that we should not be intimidated,’” Blanton concluded. “Although we cannot live in fear, we certainly cannot risk the lives of thousands of innocent people when we have credible intel beforehand that can be used to prevent the death or injury of a child, parent, family-member, or friend. I apologize for the great inconvenience this may have caused many of you, but I sincerely ask for your cooperation, understanding, and prayers for the city as we strive to protect and serve you, the wonderful people that make Hamlet your home.”