PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Community members are now calling their own state of emergency because of the continued gun violence in Portland. This comes after multiple shootings this weekend where two teens were injured, and another teen killed.
“There’s family members out here that are burying their kids that are really just torn inside, right before the holidays,” said Jerry Manns, founder of the Global Movement Network.
Following this summer’s state of emergency declaration by the mayor’s office, community members say it is unrealistic to think the gun violence can be solved in that short time frame and are demanding more be done.
“We wanted to declare a state of emergency for the Black community to give us an opportunity to come together like this,” John Canda told a room full of attendees at a community forum held Tuesday evening.
They are a community demanding action as gun violence escalates, not only from city leaders but from everyone in the community to step up, speak to their children and make a serious change.
“We’re going to have to get our word across throughout our community, throughout the city, throughout people that’s in a higher situation to make actions happen,” said Manns.
Manns’ 21-year-old son, Jemare, was shot and killed last year after a stray bullet struck him at a house party. Since then, Manns has continued to be a voice in the community to prevent other parents from experiencing the same pain. However, he says more must be done on higher levels, especially after this weekend when multiple teens were caught in gun violence.
On Friday night, a 15-year-old boy was seriously injured in a shooting, and 24 hours later, a teen girl was also injured in a shooting. Then, on Saturday night, Portland Police say 18-year-old Parnell Badon Jr was shot and killed at the Embassy Suites near the airport.
This summer, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler declared a gun violence state of emergency for ‘Safer Summer PDX’ — but community members say it is clear the escalating violence didn’t just end with the changing of the seasons.
“The mayor has done some things, but we don’t feel he’s done enough. His declaration of a state of emergency seemed to be for a 90-day period,” said Canda, who is one of the founders of Connected Incorporated. “If they think that crime, especially the record numbers of crime that we’ve been seeing all year long, is going to stop because the weather turns or because the summer months are over, they are sadly mistaken.”
With Thanksgiving just days away and some local families now grieving those who will not be at the dinner table, community leaders say enough is enough, and that the only way to move forward is by coming together and creating solutions, whether that’s by talking to your teens and children, focusing on the positives in their lives, or even working with officials for lasting change.
“Once our kids are gone, they’re not coming back. Our kids are not coming back and that’s pain. That’s pain for a parent to live through and go through daily. Our kids are not coming back, to senseless gun violence, or gang activity. We need help and we need it now,” said Manns. “Money doesn’t save lives. People save lives. You can’t help us by throwing money in our faces like that’s going to bring our kids back.”
KOIN 6 reached out earlier Tuesday to Mayor Wheeler about the forum event and community concerns and was told members of his office would be attending, but it is unclear if any actually did show up. The office went on to tell KOIN 6 they plan to continue street-level outreach work when it comes to gun violence.
from Salem – Salem Local News https://bit.ly/3EUWWQj
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