COLUMBIA, S.C. — Columbia Councilmember Tyler Bailey is advocating for a curfew aimed at teenagers to bolster safety and curb juvenile crime.
Bailey's proposal follows the tragic shooting death of 16-year-old Julian Armel Keel, who was killed after attending a late-night graduation party. This incident occurred less than two weeks after a gunfight at a pool in a Northeast Richland County neighborhood, leaving another teenager injured.
"It seems like every summer in Columbia, there is an uptick in shootings," Bailey said. "There was one that happened a week before the shooting that resulted in the tragic loss of Keel. So, the idea I had, after talking to colleagues, was to consider possibly bringing in a curfew."
Bailey emphasized that the curfew is not meant to punish teens but to protect them.
"With all the guns on the streets, there's legal firearms, permitless carry now with no training, and the weapons around are so dangerous," Bailey said. "So, I figured we have to do something. It's a conversation starter."
Bailey suggested a pilot program to evaluate the effectiveness of a curfew.
"A pilot program for 30 [to] 60 days during the summer to see if it helps, to see if it does reduce the number of shootings or the number of incidents our law enforcement has to respond to," he said.
While Bailey acknowledges that a curfew might not be a complete solution, he believes it could have a significant impact. "I figured we need to take some action, and the time is now. Why wait? Why wait for the perfect solution when we can take some action that could save a life."
Further discussions are necessary to determine the curfew's specifics, including its timing and the areas it would cover. Bailey mentioned that the proposal would be referred to the public safety committee for further deliberation, involving community input, parents, and stakeholders.
"It's being referred to our public safety committee for a conversation with our colleagues on city council. Community input, parents, stakeholders will be able to participate in any public hearing and public dialogue on it," Bailey stated.
A public safety committee meeting is scheduled for June 25, where Councilman Bailey will introduce the idea and gather initial thoughts from residents. The location for this meeting has not yet been determined.