What was supposed to be a regular summer weekend turned into a night of fear for many in downtown Wilmington. Following a fatal shooting and reports of street violence, a city councilmember and a longtime local business owner are calling for immediate changes to protect the heart of the city.
A man lost his life early Sunday morning in a shooting on North Front Street — just one in a string of violent incidents that rattled the downtown area over the weekend. The growing sense of danger has pushed local leaders to speak out.
Josh Cranford, who has run the Front Street Brewery for nearly two decades, says recent disturbances are taking a toll — not just on foot traffic, but on the spirit of the downtown community.
“When people are scared to come downtown, that hurts us,” Cranford said. “Financially, emotionally — it hits hard.”
Cranford now closes his restaurant at 10 p.m. to avoid the late-night crowds. He described scenes of “big groups of young kids” and even fights erupting right outside his doors. Despite being no stranger to the ups and downs of running a business downtown, Cranford says this recent spike in violence feels different — and more urgent.
City Councilmember Luke Waddell took to social media Sunday, labeling the weekend’s events a serious public safety issue and outlining ideas he plans to present at an upcoming city council meeting.
“It was a really tough weekend for crime downtown,” Waddell wrote. “It’s time we take stronger steps.”
Among the proposals Waddell is pushing:
- A juvenile curfew to reduce late-night congregation
- New camping and trespassing rules to address homelessness
- A policy review of bars that allow patrons under the age of 21
He expressed concern over establishments whose business models target younger crowds — often those under legal drinking age — calling it a contributing factor to disorderly behavior.
“If your business depends on under-21s packing the place at midnight, maybe we need to rethink that,” Waddell said.
While no single policy can fix everything, both Waddell and Cranford agree that collaboration between the city and local business owners is key.
“I don’t want anyone to feel unsafe downtown,” Cranford emphasized. “We’ve worked too hard for too long to make this a place people love.”
Waddell praised the city’s interim police chief for recent efforts and expressed hope that appointing a permanent chief will help bring long-term solutions.
For now, Wilmington watches and waits — hoping that the violence doesn’t become the new normal, and that its leaders can bring back the trust and safety the city once took for granted.
