SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — Mayor Van Johnson hosted his weekly press conference for all things happening in and around Savannah.
If you missed it, here is a breakdown of some topics the Savannah Mayor touched on:
Crime
- An armed robbery at a business on W. Congress Street resulted in three suspects in custody. The incident occurred at approximately 2:36 a.m. on Sunday. The Savannah Police Department took into custody 19-year-old Justin Hodges, 24-year-old Naquan Johnson and 20-year-old Jadari Jenkins.
- The new SPD Northwest Precinct facility will be finished by the end of this year, the Mayor said.
- There is an updated list of Savannah’s Most Wanted. Check it out here.
Forsyth Park Shade Garden
- The Forsyth Park Shade Garden is part of a collaboration between the City of Savannah’s Park and Tree Department and the Trustees’ Garden Club, supported by local fundraising, city funding and a $10,000 grant from the Garden Club of America.
- A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held for Forsyth Park’s new shade garden on Wednesday, Feb. 18, at 1:30 p.m.
Firearm safety
- In response to Chatham County Police advising gun owners not to leave firearms in their vehicles, the Savannah Mayor said, “It’s an issue across the state. Georgia has some of the most liberal gun laws in the country.”
- He stressed that the right of gun ownership is tied to responsibility and stated, “I have the right of free speech, but I have to use that responsibly. I don’t have the right to yell ‘Fire!’ in a theater.”
- He says Savannah saw over 200 firearms stolen in 2024, but that after the city’s gun storage ordinance, that number was cut by half.
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