BLAKELY — Blakely Mayor Travis Wimbush has declared a state of emergency throughout the city due to gun violence and has enacted a curfew in response.
The emergency declaration comes after a rash of gun violence throughout the city. Three people were shot on May 31, two people were shot on June 8, and on June 26, seven people were shot resulting in one death.
According to the emergency declaration, those shootings are just the ones resulting in bodily harm. There were several more shootings throughout the city that did not involve bodily harm.
The primary measure in the resolution to curb the shootings is a midnight curfew throughout the city and an end to alcohol sales each night after 11 p.m.
The following exceptions to the curfew have also been put in place:
- People returning home from lawful employment.
- Attending or traveling to or from an event involving the First Amendment rights to free speech, freedom of assembly, or the free exercise of religion.
- Those traveling through the city.
The state of emergency will remain in effect until the gun violence has abated.
Blakely has a population of just over 5,000 residents.
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