DAYTON — The Dayton Branch NAACP gathered on Friday to discuss the recent gun violence in the city.
As reported on News Center 7 at 6:00, the organization said the community should demand answers every time gun violence claims the life of a young person.
>>RELATED: Dayton Branch NAACP wants to rejuvenate gun buyback program as answer to violence
“You know, we have families that are hurting every single time we have these incidents,” Unit President Derrick Forward said.
Leaders with the organization said the community’s reaction to Brian Moody’s death is justified.
“So for the community to be upset about this is good because the police should be held to a higher standard,” Dr. Morris Brown said.
The organization said there is another big problem going on in the city.
“And that’s Black-on-Black violence or just violence in general,” Morris said.
NAACP leaders told News Center 7 that in the first 5 months of 2024, 11 of the 13 homicide victims in Dayton have been Black people.
>>RELATED: Dayton NAACP pushing for end of gun violence after string of deadly shootings
Additionally, 11 of the 12 people arrested in connection to those homicides are Black.
“That’s 20 African American people who are out of the lives of their loved ones,” Forward said.
“It’s just sad that we have to keep using our young ones like this,” Regina Franklin said.
Franklin lost a son and a nephew to gun violence.
She said the pain is the same, no matter who is responsible.
“Wrong is wrong, that’s someone’s loved one. Everyone has a loved one, someone loves him,” Katina Gibson said.
>>RELATED: ‘We have a problem;’ Leaders speaking out after recent Dayton shootings
Gibson lost her daughter Tayisha Gibson to gun violence in 2016. Tayisha’s ex-boyfriend was held responsible.
She said the community must grieve and condemn every murder.
“They definitely need to be more upset, it’s not just one-sided,” Gibson said. “It goes both ways, violence is violence, wrong is wrong.”
The Dayton Branch NAACP is suggesting a gun buy-back program as part of the efforts to stop gun violence in Dayton.
We will continue to follow this story.
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