Tacoma families rally to put an end to youth gun violence
May 3, 2025, 1:54 PM
Tacoma families rallied Friday, calling for an end to youth gun violence. (Courtesy 成人X站-7)
(Courtesy 成人X站-7)
Tacoma families rallied together to put an end to the youth gun violence that happens all too often.
On Friday, crowds gathered in front of First Creek Middle School to show kids and teens that adults are there to support and guide them.
鈥淲e want all those kids are affected to know, hey, we see it. We care. It might not be today or tomorrow, but anytime they want to need a shoulder or need an ear, we鈥檙e going to be there,鈥� said Game Time Director Darren De Leon.
, the organization he鈥檚 a part of, works with kids daily.
They want to make sure young people know this community supports them.
鈥淕ive them that mentor that they can always feel like they can open up to talk to, just being that extra person there for the youth,鈥� said Game Time Director David Stewart.
One of teens, Don鈥檃ysia Hankins, shared her own advice with other kids.
鈥淚t鈥檚 okay to not be running the streets like you鈥檙e gonna have to miss out on some fun so you can level up in life honestly,鈥� she said.
The crowd took to the Eastside neighborhood streets, where much of the violence has taken place, to make their message heard.
鈥淵oung people have always had access to gun. I think what is probably most concerning for our youth is that our youth don鈥檛 have access to caring adults,鈥� said Antonio McLemore, Community Center Supervisor with Parks Tacoma.
McLemore says simply being present for young people can make the difference.
鈥淲hen caring adults get involved and they start putting their heads together to help people resolve problems and so that they don鈥檛 have to escalate and come to violence,鈥� he said.
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