By Rebecca Rider

For the Salisbury Post

Police are asking for the community’s help in stopping a rash of gang violence in Salisbury.

On Sunday, the Salisbury Police Department announced it was partnering with the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office to investigate a recent uptick in violence and shootings that have been linked to gang activity. Capt. Shelia Lingle of the Salisbury Police Department says the partnership is not unusual; the Police Department and the Sheriff’s Office work together on everything from drug busts to traffic stops.

“They are generously providing extra manpower,” Lingle said of the Sheriff’s Office.

The goal is to saturate the areas where the shootings have taken place, in an attempt to stop the violence and make arrests.

All the victims of the shootings so far have been targeted, Lingle says. They are people who have had connections or an association with the shooters.

The shootings are not an outbreak of random violence and should not cause panic, she says. Police are investigating with the intent to make arrests and stamp out the violence.

“Ultimately, we want the people of Salisbury to feel safe and to be safe,” Lingle said.

The two days since the initiative began have been relatively quiet, Lingle says, and now police are reaching out to the community for help.

If you see a suspicious car or person, someone acting strangely, or are witness to a crime, contact the Salisbury Police Department at the non-emergency line at 704-638-5333, or call 911 in case of an emergency. Anonymous tips can be left with Crime Stoppers at 1-866-639-5245.

Any and all tips are welcome.

“It takes the community,” Lingle said.