Marion under curfew through Jan. 15 in wake of two shooting deaths 

No names were released at an emergency meeting of the Marion City Council Friday afternoon.  

Schools in the city of Marion chose to close Friday, Hinton said. “The institutions closed on their own,” Hinton said. “There is no one running around in the city armed on a rampage.” 

Marion Police Chief Tony Bufford said, “We’ve called in the State Bureau of Investigation to help us with the investigation. It is an ongoing investigation, and we are working side by side with the state to solve these homicides.” 

At an emergency meeting of the Marion City Council Friday afternoon, the council voted unanimously to implement a curfew from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. from Friday through Sunday, Jan. 15 at 5 a.m.  

“It is my recommendation to the council we implement this curfew to get things back in order and get things back under control,” Bufford said. (The curfew) “is for the people standing around, walking the streets, hanging out and loitering.” Businesses will have to close at 9 p.m. through Jan. 15. 

The curfew will not apply to citizens who have to travel for work, medical reasons, school, care of others or “authorized prior planned events and business.” 

Bufford said, “No hanging out, no loitering. Get to where you have to go and stay there.”  

Officers’ schedules have been adjusted so two or three officers will be on duty at all times to enforce the curfew, according to Bufford. “No officers will be on patrol alone,” he said. 

Bufford said he has contacted ALEA about helping in Marion, and he said he plans to talk to Perry County Sheriff Billy Jones about having sheriff’s deputies on patrol to help in Marion.  

“This is not being put in place to harass the citizens of Marion,” Buford said.“It’s being put in place to maintain order and ensure the safety of the citizens.” 

Hinton said, “Every day is not sunshine. It’s a rainy day for us right now.”