Mayor Praises First Responders for Actions Dealing with Recent Violence

Salem, MA - It has been a violent week in Salem, with the stabbing of a Salem State University English professor, allegedly by a student, on Wednesday and the fatal shooting of a 27-year-old man in the Point neighborhood on Thursday.

On Friday, Mayor Kim Driscoll praised the efforts of the city's first responders for dealing with the tragedies in a professional and timely manner.

"Hats off to Police Chief Mary Butler and her team of officers, along with Chief Cody and our Fire and EMS first responders, for their actions dealing with two tragic emergency matters on Wednesday and Thursday of this week," Driscoll wrote on social media on Friday morning. "Salem State President Pat Meservey called yesterday to thank the City and our public safety teams for our quick and coordinated response to Wednesday's SSU campus emergency."

Driscoll said the same teams were keeping the neighborhood and nearby schools safe on Thursday while dealing with the fatal shooting.

"While our public safety teams work 24-7 everyday responding to emergencies, this week has certainly been more challenging than most," Driscoll stated. "I want to thank our officers, firefighters and EMS personnel for not just doing their job, but for doing it so well."

Police are still investigating Thursday's shooting on Park Street. Police are reportedly tracking down a suspect or suspects in the incident and stated that shooting was an altercation between the individuals and that the public is not in danger.