In one weekend, two 17 year olds were killed in Dallas. There were other gun-related crimes involving young people. That has prompted some community leaders to rally together saying enough is enough. NBC 5’s Vince Sims has more on what their plans are to help stop teen violence.
Prayers for a safer community opened the gathering at Glendale Park in Oak Cliff.
Leaders from several different community violence intervention groups stood together saying they all must work together, and not separately, to stop teen violence in their community.
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WATCH HERE“We hear crime is down all over Dallas,” former member of the Mayor’s Task Force on Safer Communities Derrick Battie said. “That is a great thing. We want to keep it there, but we know when spring rolls around and summer rolls around, there are upticks. We want to make sure we are on top of that.”
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SIGN UP It was in this park that a shooting happened Saturday night, injuring three women.
Also, over the weekend, a 17-year-old girl was shot and killed on North Beckley Avenue early Sunday morning.
A 17-year-old male was found shot on east Overton Road Sunday and he died from his injuries.
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“We need all hands-on deck,” former Dallas City Council member and Black Male Alliance founder Casey Thomas said. “We as the Black Male Alliance are not here to do the work alone. We are here to partner with all organizations all over the city because we need everybody’s help. These same challenges exist all over the city.”
One solution they'd like to see is more opportunities for young people.
“Many of our kids, they want a good job,” Battie said. “They want to be out of their desperate situations. They want to provide for their families and put food on the table. Without options, resources and connections like the young lady said you don’t have those availabilities.”
They also want all the faith leaders to come out of their pulpits and into the communities to try and reach young people before they get caught up in bad decisions.
A representative from Dallas City Councilman Zarin Gracey's office said at the event that Gracey’s office is putting $150,000 from the American Resource Plan Act or ARPA dollars toward youth violence programs.
