Community Members Urge Mayor Kenney To Curb Gun Violence
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A day after two teenagers were shot in front of a Gray's Ferry store, residents made an impassioned plea to Mayor Jim Kenney on Monday night, asking him to do something to help reduce gun violence in the neighborhood.
Dozens of community members packed into the Vare Recreation Center in South Philadelphia to tell city officials they are tired of the violence plaguing their neighborhoods.
"I'm here on behalf of my sister who lost her son a couple of weeks ago, who was shot 26-27 times. I'm just crying out for help. I just want to save our children," one community member said.
Mayor Jim Kenney was on hand talking with people as they identified problems and offered solutions to make their neighborhoods safe.
He says community engagement is key in helping guide youth in the right direction.
"Having people in the community that these young people will respect, that may have had hard times in their lives, may have been in jail, may have been involved in gangs talking to them and explaining that this is a life going no where," Kenney said.
Mayor Kenney also says he also wants to make the rec centers better so kids can have nice places after school to get help with homework, stay active and stay out of trouble.
