CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — After several people were hurt and two killed in the last few weeks, Champaign city leaders and neighbors came together Monday evening to try and stop gun violence.
The city and police decided to hold the first press conference addressing the issue last week. On Monday, it was the community’s turn. Some city council members showed up as well.
The purpose of the Community Gun Violence Response Meeting was to get input from the people on what officials can do to help.
One person in attendance, Yyvone Miller, lost her son to gun violence in 2020.
“I never thought I would be coming here, because we had cut down on the gun violence and now it started back,” she said. “You don’t want to be in this situation. Like I tell the mothers, this is a group you don’t want to join, and [there are] just senseless crimes that are going on, because people are not happy with themselves. I’m just tired of it. I’m so tired and I wish we could do something to prevent it.”
There have been 51 shootings in Champaign this year. This time last year, there were 46. In regard to the pop up parties — police want to stop them immediately.
Champaign Mayor Deb Finen said she is “heartbroken and angry over the recent acts of violence.” After Police Chief Timothy Tyler visited the families of the two teens killed last weekend, he said “they looked just like [his] own son and daughter.”
The groups at Monday’s meeting are part of the wider Community Gun Violence Reduction Blueprint. Some actually canvass neighborhoods where shootings happen to help people directly and indirectly involved.
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