Warner Robins police have had their hands full lately.
In a town that doesn't see many homicides in a year, there have been three shooting deaths in under a month.
So far this year, the city has had five homicides by gunfire. There were four in 2015; two in 2014; three in 2013; three in 2012 and four in 2011.
The most recent homicide occurred Tuesday at about 4:15 a.m. at the Executive Inn on Watson Boulevard. Police said 52-year-old D'Andre Nepoleon Willis, 52, was shot at least one time at the motel. Houston County Coroner Danny Galpin said Willis was pronounced dead in the emergency room.
Officers arrested 38-year-old Artis Christian Jones in connection to the death.
Police arrested three people in connection with the July 8 shooting death of Lance Williams. He was shot to death in the 600 block of Richmond Hill Parkway. Arrested in connection with Williams' death were Kadarius Latdravius Kendrick, 20; Von Eric Richardson, and Anighyah Zhalon Neal 21.
Kendrick is charged with murder and armed robbery. Neal is charged with murder and criminal attempt at robbery by force, and Richardson is charged with murder and armed robbery.
A man was shot to death at another motel on Watson Boulevard on June 29. Donell Nathaniel Hawkins, 34, was found shot outside of the motel with a bullet wound to the upper body just before 11 p.m. that night.
Police have not announced any arrests in that case, but the released surveillance video of possible people of interest.
The were no fatalities in a July 13 shooting, but five people were shot. It happened just after 11 p.m. in the 100 block of Magnolia Avenue.
Police have not announced any arrests in that case.
The shooting victims were Ke-Asha Smith, 15; Xavier Chappell, 21; Ashley Perry, 22; Shaquitta Swanson, 24; and Joseph Chappell, 28.
Some local businesses say they can tell the city has changed. Boutique owner Gena Deboe feels her sense of safety disappearing.
“Now you have to like your door right behind you. It's affected the way I run my business. I have to make sure nobody's here alone anymore because you don't have that feeling of safety that you had before,” she explained.
Her boutique has suffered break-ins and sees fewer customers that she says do not want to be out late.
Down the road, Tony Robbins, whose wife is a Warner Robins council member, says he feels safe, but worries about a smaller police force.
“I think going forward if they get up to full staff on the police department I think it would go a long way in eradicating some of the elements that cause problems in our city,” he told WMAZ.
It's a concern that DeBoe shares. She feels the recent crimes have robbed the spirit of the city.
“I was born in Warner Robins, this is something we don't see. You watch this on the news, on the national news, and you think 'Wow, I can't image living somewhere that happens.' And it's happening here. What's wrong with here? We're becoming broken,” she stated in her store.
Both business owners made sure to compliment the police on the way they are responding to crimes across the city. Both told WMAZ the police are spread too thin.