The City of Chattanooga marked a significant milestone in public safety on May 1, as officials and community members gathered at the Avondale Community Center to celebrate one full year without a homicide in Zone 3, which includes the Avondale/Bushtown area.
The 2:30 p.m. press conference highlighted the remarkable achievement and recognized the crucial work of the 423 Chain Breakers, a local violence prevention group that has been instrumental in creating safer neighborhoods throughout the city.
“Gun violence is a public health issue, and in Chattanooga, we’re treating it like one,” Mayor Tim Kelly told the crowd gathered at the Community Center on Dodson Avenue. “Today marks one full year without a homicide in Zone 3, and it’s proof that community-led violence prevention works.”
Chattanooga Police Chief John Chambers echoed the mayor’s sentiments, emphasizing that reducing violence demands a community-wide effort.
He expressed “sincere appreciation for the vital partnership between CPD, the Mayor’s Office, the 423 Chain Breakers, and others,” noting that “their collaborative work is making a real difference in building a safer Chattanooga.”
The 423 Chain Breakers have established themselves as a vital force in Chattanooga’s violence prevention strategy. The group works directly with young people to build relationships and steer them away from violence and criminal activity.
Their success in the Avondale/Bushtown area led to an expanded presence in downtown Chattanooga beginning on Memorial Day weekend 2024, when Mayor Kelly announced a pilot program involving the group. Under that initiative, members of the 423 Chain Breakers began spending time downtown on select weekend nights, focusing on areas where young people often congregate.
“The hardworking men and women of CPD do an excellent job enforcing the law in Chattanooga, and have worked hard to build deep relationships with our community,” Mayor Kelly said at the launch of that program last year. “But in addition to arresting people after a crime is committed, we need to reach people before they turn to criminal activity.”
Downtown Chattanooga Alliance Executive Director Steve Brookes also praised the group’s work at that time.
“The Chain Breakers are engaging consistently with city youth in multiple locations, and having them downtown to offer peer-to-peer support makes a difference,” Brookes said. “This is exactly the kind of partnership we need to support these youth and align with Mayor Kelly’s One Chattanooga vision.”
While celebrating the milestone, officials acknowledged that the work of preventing violence is ongoing. However, the success in Zone 3 provides a model that could potentially be replicated throughout the city.
“Thanks to the 423 Chain Breakers, CPD, Community Haven and so many partners who are helping us build a safer, healthier city for all,” said Mayor Kelly. “While the work is far from over, and the threat of violence can never fully be eliminated, this is something for our community to be tremendously proud of.”