Community action group works to end cycle of gun violence

The recent wave of gun violence in the Miami Valley has our local government leaders looking to instill change.

The same goes for the leaders in our communities many of whom have lived the violence firsthand.

“Violence interruption” was the message in Trotwood.

Marlon Shackleford and other speakers addressed dozens of young focused faces.

Speakers like Richard Garland, once incarcerated for more than 20 years are now determined to end the cycle of violence.

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“They’re building prisons all over the country. We need to stop that because therefore in our prisons with our young people, and this is opportunity, the work that we do is to curb that so that they can get a job, get education, how we always talk about how important education is to young people, so that they can get to the next level,” Garland, executive director of Reimagined Re-entry said.

The string of shootings in the last two weeks has left some killed, dozens injured, and families broken and the idea is to have communities work together, take responsibility, and stop the violence.

“The biggest problem I see is a lot of people buy into it initially. But there’s a difference between buying into it and believing in it. So we want people to believe in it. When you’re from that community, you’re able to believe,” Shackleford said.

Community action groups like the Violence Interrupters and Street Souljaz said local and federal funding is also key to stopping gun violence.