STABBING: Hyattsville Mayor Weighs In On Death at University Town Center

Thursday's was the first homicide on record in the city this year and the 60th reported homicide in Prince George’s County for 2011.

County police and in front of the Royale 13 movie theater. In homicide situations, county police take the lead while Hyattsville police—the department has not had a homicide unit for several years—serves to assist the county in their investigation.

, said he was saddened by the death of Smith-Matthews.

“It’s a concern when something like UTC happens [last night],” Tartaro said. “It takes the wind out of the sails. It doesn’t make me feel good.”

The often lists incidents of burglaries and shoplifting at the which is located just west of UTC. But no crimes of this nature have been reported at the plaza where was killed.

“The perception is there are certain problems in certain pockets [of Hyattsville],” Tartaro said. “We need to look at the commercial district. We’ve got to look at everything together.”

There are 43 funded police officer positions in Hyattsville. Tartaro said there have been three or four vacancies for about a year, does not require cutting any police officer spots, it also doesn’t call for any more.

“More police isn’t necessarily the answer,” he said. “That doesn’t mean you’re going to fix the problem.”