INDIANAPOLIS — Organizations from across the city came together Wednesday night in a meeting aimed at finding solutions to curb gun violence and conflict in local communities.
The meeting, titled "Love Thy Neighbor", included several groups who discussed pooling resources to support high-crime areas
Different community organizations, city leaders, and residents all came together with one goal in mind: strategizing ways to reduce violence.
"Young Black males are wreaking havoc in this city because they don't have an outlet. They have nothing to do, they don't have no one to speak to. I just pray that we invest more into young Black teens," said a concerned citizen who attended the meeting.
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"Enough is enough. When are we going to get tired of seeing the daily news reports?" said DeAndra Dycus, a mother whose son was shot by a stray bullet in 2014. He was 13 years old at the time.
Dycus shared her story, recounting one of the scariest days of her life.
"I remember when Dre was shot, and I was on the news, and I was crying and snot. I said, 'After people hear my tears and see my face, they'll stop shooting. They must, they must see this pain down inside of me.' And then there was a quadruple homicide the next day," said Dycus.
"As Black people, most of us have scars that we hide, and they have not been dealt with. So, to really make a change, we're going to have to be open and honest to deal with those scars," said a concerned citizen.
Wednesday's meeting was all about solutions and finding out what's next.
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"If we could commit to sharing that information and bridging that gap, pick me. I'd love to get all of that information," another person said.
Attendees wasted no time addressing the top 10 zip codes experiencing high crime and domestic calls and starting a Facebook group for all the organizations working together.
"On one end you say am I doing enough, on the other you say I'm doing all that I can. These kinds of settings are very impactful for change," said Dycus.
To get involved, you can visit the joint Facebook page started at the meeting, Cease-Fire 317. The goal is to provide an open line of communication, and updates on the group's progress.
