‘Capable of tremendous things;’ Organization working to uplift young men, curb gun violence

DAYTON — Police are still investigating after what neighbors say sounded like 100 rounds of gunfire in a Dayton neighborhood over the weekend.

As reported on News Center 7 Daybreak, a man was shot and killed on Oakridge Drive and Geneva Road early Sunday morning, and several homes were hit by the gunfire as well.

“The shooting sounded like a warzone, and it was large caliber weapons. I could tell by the sound and but at that point, I dived for the floor,” Joe Marks Sr, whose house was hit, said.

This comes after an already violent summer in the city, and community leaders are trying to put an end to the violence.

The Victory Project, founded in 2009, is an organization whose goal is to uplift and inspire the city’s young men.

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Last year they opened a second location on the city’s west side.

The program teaches young men unique skills like how to treat a partner on a date, and how to do laundry and gives them landscaping jobs.

The project’s founder, Monnie Bush, says it’s all about showing young men what they are capable of.

“We know these young men are very, very capable of tremendous things. But there’s a lot of things that’s gotten in their way to poverty and crime and trauma,“ Bush said.

The victory project is open six days a week, all year long.

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