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Mayor Flaggs issues Proclamation of a Local Emergency for Vicksburg

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Mayor George Flaggs
Mayor George Flaggs during a Q&A, Apr. 18, 2022.

Vicksburg Mayor George Flaggs, Jr. has issued a proclamation of a local emergency after Monday night’s shooting which left one juvenile dead and others injured.

From the Office of the Mayor:

Vicksburg, MS — As a crime preventative measure, Mayor George Flaggs, Jr. will issue a Proclamation of Local Emergency beginning today, Tuesday, January 31, 2023 at 12:00 p.m.

This Proclamation of Local Emergency stems from a January 30th incident where thirteen-year-old child was senselessly killed due to gun violence with three (3) other people being shot and injured in the City of Vicksburg.

Therefore, minors 17 and under, who are unmarried and not emancipated, shall not be on any public street, highway, park, vacant lot, establishment, or other public place within the City from 10:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. beginning today, Tuesday, January 31, 2023 until further notice. There are exceptions to this mandate.

After the recent untimely death of the minor in the City of Vicksburg, the Mayor is curtailing the rising violence and criminal acts being commintted by and against children in the City. This curfew protects children and is in the best interests of public health, safety, and welfare.

Mayor Flaggs states, “As Mayor of the City of Vicksburg, if parents cannot keep their juvenile children off the streets and safe from danger, I have no choice but to step in and do that for them.”

PROCLAMATION OF A LOCAL EMERGENCY

WHEREAS, §33-15-17 (d) of the Mississippi Code Annotated of 1972, as amended,
authorizes the Mayor of a municipality to proclaim that an Emergency exists as defined in §33-15-
5 of the Mississippi Code of 1972, as amended, and measures must be taken to protect the public
health, safety and welfare; and

WHEREAS, §33-15-5 (h) of the Mississippi Code Annotated of 1972, as amended, defines
an emergency as “any occurrence, or threat thereof, whether natural, technological, or man-made,
in war or in peace, which results or may result in substantial injury or harm to the population or
substantial damage to or loss of property;” and

WHEREAS, §33-15-5 (g) of the Mississippi Code Annotated of 1972, as amended, defines
a local emergency as “the duly proclaimed existence of conditions of disaster or extreme peril to
the safety of person and property within the territorial limits of a … municipality caused by such
conditions as… man-made conditions…;” and

WHEREAS, §33-15-17 (d) of the Mississippi Code of Annotated of 1972, as amended,
governing bodies may promulgate orders and regulations necessary to provide for the protection
of life and property including orders or regulations imposing a curfew within designated
boundaries where necessary to preserve the public order and safety; and

WHEREAS, on January 30, 2023, a thirteen-year-old child was senselessly killed due to
gun violence with three (3) other people being shot and injured in the City of Vicksburg; and

WHEREAS, violence and criminal acts in the City of Vicksburg committed by and
committed against minors are causes of great concern for the immediate, safety, and general
welfare of the citizens in the City of Vicksburg and the City has a vested interest in preserving and
nurturing minors as valuable assets and investments in the City’s future; and

WHEREAS, minors who are present in public places during the late night and early
morning hours are more likely to be victimized or participate as perpetrators of crimes and the City
needs to be proactive in protecting minors from the dangers that exist in the late night and carly
morning hours in public places; and

WHEREAS, the City of Vicksburg recognizes the problem of crimes committed by and
committed against minors during the late night and early morning hours and believes that this
problem can be dealt with more effectively by regulating the hours during which minors may
remain in public places and certain establishments without adult supervision; and

WHEREAS, in consideration of the health, safety, and welfare of the City’s residents, and
in the public interests, extraordinary measures are needed to preserve the safety of citizens in the
City and protect the general public including minors and aid in the prevention of crimes committed
by and committed against minors; and

WHEREAS, §33-15-17 (d) of the Mississippi Code of Annotated of 1972, as amended, the
governing body of a municipality shall review the need for continuing the local emergency at least
every thirty (30) days until such local emergency is terminated and shall proclaim the termination
of such local emergency at the earliest possible dale that conditions warrant; and

WHEREAS, the governing body of the City of Vicksburg hereby believes that the curfew
for minors during the weekends should be from 10:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. which will aid in
curtailing crimes committed by and committed against minors occurring in the City and would be
in the best interests of public health, safety and welfare.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE FLAGGS, JR., MAYOR OF THE CITY OF
VICKSBURG, MISSISSIPPI, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME
PURSUANT TO §§33-15-15 THROUGH 33-15-17 OF THE MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, AS
AMENDED, HEREBY ISSUE THIS PROCLAMATION THAT A LOCAL EMERGENCY
EXISTS IN THE CITY OF VICKSBURG, MISSISSIPPI DUE TO THE RECENT ACTS OF
VIOLENCE CAUSING THE SENSELESS DEATH OF A MINOR AND INJURIES TO
OTHERS AND IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND WELFARE, DO HEREBY
ORDERS AS FOLLOWS:

1. To decrease crimes committed by and committed against minors in the City of Vicksburg,
preserve the resources of the Vicksburg Police Department, and to keep good order, any minor
under the age of eighteen (18) years of age, who is unmarried and not emancipated, shall
not be upon any public street, highway, park, vacant lot, establishment, or other public
place within the city from 10:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. beginning January 31, 2023.

2. The following are exceptions to the curfew:

a. The minor is accompanied by a parent or legal guardian;

b. The minor is involved in an emergency or is secking medical treatment;

C. The minor is traveling to or from work (the minor must carry written
evidence of employment);

d. The minor is attending an activity sponsored by a school, religious or civic

organization, by a public organization or agency, or by another similar organization or
entity, which activity is supervised by adults, and/or the minor is going to or returning
from such activity without detour or stop; or

e. The minor is exercising First Amendment rights provided by the United
States Constitution, such as the free exercise of religion, freedom of speech, and the rights
of assembly.

THIS EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION SHALL BE PLACED IN THE CITY OF VICKSBURG
MINUTES AND REVIEWED EVERY THIRTY (30) DAYS AS REQUIRED BY LAW.

THIS THE 31st DAY OF JANUARY 2023.

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