MIAMI (WSVN) - A Miami Gardens resident concerned about crime in her community is joining forces with the Miami-Dade County Relations Board to stop the senseless gun violence.
The Miami-Dade County Relations Board met in Downtown Miami on Thursday to discuss prevention methods to scenarios too many South Florida families endure.
“Can you imagine you woke up this morning, and then you hear your son or your daughter just got shot for nonsense?” said Democratic member of Florida House of Representatives Daphne Campbell, “so we have to have a solution.”
Miami Gardens resident Karla Harris wanted to be part of the initiative.
“I’m willing to take all my time to help this cause, especially for Miami Gardens,” she said. “To go knock on the doors, talk to the people, so they can relate to seeing somebody like them and seeing if I can help in any kind of way.”
The group discussed potential solutions like gun buyback and youth job programs to addressing the effects of trauma and introducing a gun violence intervention program.
“What we need to get is a commitment from the county, from the county commission, in this budget cycle to put money into this. It cost money,” said Miami-Dade Public Defender Carlos J. Martinez, “and it’s an intervention that is not focused on what’s going to happen two years from now. It’s an intervention now.”
The goal is to prevent the kind of violence currently gripping Miami Gardens. Within nine days in June, 10 people were shot and four of them were killed.
“This is something that we’re not putting up with,” said Miami Gardens Police Chief Delma Noel-Pratt.
She promised on Wednesday that she will do everything she can to curb gun violence.
Her comments came just before officials arrested 23-year-old Willis Dukes. He made his first court appearance Thursday and was charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of Thristan Hanson during the Father’s Day weekend.
Back in Downtown Miami, the plea is for more people to get involved and join in this effort.
“Especially with our meetings, I’d like to see more community activists get involved,” said community relations board co-chair Major Ervens Ford. “I’d like to see elected officials because we’re here.”
A big topic discussed was the importance of residents coming forward with tips.
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