Local

‘Stop killing one another;’ Dayton NAACP meets to discuss gun violence, calls for summer ceasefire

NOW PLAYING ABOVE

DAYTON — The Dayton branch of the NAACP met Friday to spread a message: put down the guns and stop the violence.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

As reported on News Center 7 at 11, NAACP President Derrick Foward says the violence needs to stop.

“We are up 13.33 percent in homicides this year,” Foward said.

TRENDING STORIES:

Foward says he wants a safer summer, and is asking people to put their weapons away.

“One life lost at the hand of gun violence, in my opinion, is too many,” Foward said.

Angela Garcia, who lives in Dayton, says she’s most concerned for the city’s youth.

“Our youth right now, you know, they are faced with so many different challenges,” Garcia said.

Garcia says part of the issue is the lack of resources in the community.

“They don’t have many places to go. There’s not many things for them to do, you know, that’s being offered,” Garcia said.

This was part of the City of Dayton’s Stop the Violence Initiative which would use community members to help steer youth in the right direction, stopping issues before they began.

Garcia says her heart aches when she hears about another victim.

“I’m always thinking about the neighbor. I mean, whatever they’re going through, I’m going through,” Garcia said.

Foward says it begins at home, and the NAACP will continue to push for a complete stop in gun violence.

“I’m pleading with the parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles and cousins - stop killing one another,” Foward said.

They ended Friday’s meeting with a request for a 30-day ceasefire in Dayton, to keep this summer peaceful.

[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

16