Parents desperate for solutions as violence involving young people increases

ATLANTA — As more and more young people are becoming involved in violence across metro Atlanta, many parents are asking what can be done.

Channel 2′s Tyisha Fernandes sat down with a community advocate who has been protecting youth for years.

Bruce Griggs, the founder and director of one of the only youth violence protection agencies in the state, says he has an event in the works aimed at empowering young people.

“First thing you can do is get them involved in something positive,” Griggs said.

He’s calling his event Operation Correct Start Street Academy.

“We’re losing these children and we almost have become desensitized to the problem that it’s not our family, it’s not touching us directly, we don’t get involved,” he said.

Early Tuesday morning, two 13-year-olds were shot and killed, and a 12-year-old was shot.

Griggs says that should be a wake-up call to those who think youth violence does not affect them.

“Find programs that deal with these kids’ anger, that deal with their fear, that deal with their pain because these are the things that are resulting in gun violence. It’s a disease that’s attacking our community,” Griggs said.

He partnered with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens to empower young people to make better decisions as they head back to school.

“But it’s gonna take more than just the mayor and the commitment of the mayor and council,” he said. “we can’t arrest ourselves out this problem. It’s gonna take the schools, it’s gonna take individuals. But more than anything else, it’s gonna take the parents.”

He is also challenging rappers, musicians, athletes and tech entrepreneurs who live in Atlanta to get more involved in changing children’s mindsets.