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Four separate shootings that included a homicide were reported across a six-day period, ending with shots fired into a local home on Christmas night.

Orange Police Department Major Wade Robinson said authorities are noticing a uptick in violence in the city, leading to beefed up “patrols in the area in the evening to night time hours to try and deter anything.”

One of the investigations has led to an arrest, another was deemed a case of isolated family violence and authorities are working to see if there are any links between the other three.

“At this time we are not sure,” Robinson said. “We are sending rounds off for ballistics testing and comparisons.”

City officials reported a shooting Sunday night in the 1300 block of North 3^rd Street.

According to Robinson, the homeowner heard some shots outside and authorities found a round that was shot into the house.

No injuries were reported, and no arrests have been made. At this time, police are working to develop a suspect.

The recent violence came to a fatal conclusion over the weekend when officers were dispatched to 2108 Link Avenue at 2:41 a.m. Saturday in reference to a welfare check. There, officers discovered a deceased male located inside a vehicle in the driveway of the home.

The victim, 26-year-old local man Asif Imran, sustained multiple gunshots.

The Orange Police Department detective division is leading the case.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the Orange Police Department at 409-883-1026 or Southeast Texas Crime Stoppers at 409-833-TIPS (8477). You can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward.

Robinson said investigators don’t have information yet linking the homicide to any specific motive, adding police are working to develop a suspect.

He did say community members around the shootings are assisting “a great deal” in the investigations.

Officers were also dispatched to 3751 Hemlock Lane at 2:27 a.m. Thursday following a disturbance.

Responding officers located a male with several gunshot wounds.

Robinson described the shooting as a case of family violence where investigators “know all the actors” involved. No arrests have been reported.

The recent concerns began with a shooting at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 20 in the 2300 block of Pacific Street. When police arrived they found a 30-year-old man with a gunshot wound. They identified the victim as an Orange resident.

He was taken to a hospital and was last listed in stable condition.

Police made an arrest in that case, charging Lamar Ridgill Maiden, 31, with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. The suspect’s bond is listed at $250,000.

Community concerns

Orange Councilman David Bailey said the best thing that can be done locally to decrease some of the violence is more proactive police work.

“I would like to see the department get more involved out in the community,” he said. “When you start doing that, from my years of law enforcement, you start gaining people’s confidence and they will tell you things that are going on.”

The District 1 representative stressed he is not criticizing local police, just noting there is always room for improvement. He also stressed community members have to help.

“This is not a one-sided affair,” he said. “If you want to see the violence stop, the people who know the people involved in it, you are going to have to start dropping a dime on them. Having said that, the police have get out and earn their confidence. It’s a 50-50 deal.”

Mayor Larry Spears Jr. says several members of the community have reached out to him, “rightfully so,” asking questions like “what’s going on” and “what are we doing about it.”

“When you see these types of stories on the news or in bigger cities, you always say, ‘well, in a small town, we don’t have that,’” Spears acknowledged. “Now to see that happening here, citizens are concerned. I have ensured them our police department, our detectives, our dispatchers, our first responders are on top of it, working it. We have leads. We are doing our investigations. My biggest thing is once we find who these people are, we definitely want them prosecuted and put away so we can eliminate this problem in our community.”

Spears said he has spoke with the city manager and police chief, as well others in law enforcement and they are keeping up strong communication.

The mayor said the gun violence in Orange “is definitely not the norm for our community.”

He called it very disheartening.

“I am saddened by it because myself, as well as all of the leaders across the city and county, are working to be positive, uplifting and to do things to bring families together,” Spears said. “To hear of this type of violence, where people are being shot, family members are being lost, definitely goes against what we have been working so hard for the past few years.”