MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Council member Wanda Halbert was one of the only city leaders to repeatedly stand up and say, “not in our town” after two young girls were murdered in Memphis last week.
“We have a responsibility as a government to let them see and hear us. It’s our responsibility; we’re elected for that,” said Halbert.
Halbert said she represents the area where both girls were killed; one sleeping in bed, the other playing in her driveway.
“On a day to day basis we look at ways we can get better,” said Toney Armstrong in a news conference Monday.
The Police Director and Mayor Wharton both issued statements and WREG tracked Wharton down for comment.
But where was the energy?
The Passion?
Anger from our leaders as this happened?
WREG Political Commentator Otis Sanford said that’s just not Mayor Wharton’s style.
“He does need to say a lot more than just release a statement,” said Sanford.
Sanford said other candidates could have stepped up, but such a response needed to come from Wharton.
“The Mayor’s going to get the blame he needed to decide ‘how am I going to respond to this,” he added.
In New Orleans, Mayor Mitch Landrieu stood up after a shooting at a Mardi Gras parade, shook his fist at TV cameras, and said “If you wreak havoc in our city, we’re going to find you.”
Halbert said that’s the kind of message she’s hoping to send and she doesn’t know why others aren’t standing by her side.
“The citizens are frustrated. We need to invest more in our citizens,” said Halbert.
