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After three teens in Brunswick were killed weeks apart, city leaders and law enforcement held a community conversation to talk about ways to reduce youth violence.
BRUNSWICK, Ga. — The City of Brunswick is working hard to address youth violence, after three teens were killed in the city weeks apart.
A community conversation was held Monday night to talk about ways to reduce violence.
“It was never like this, never the violence that we’re having now,” said Clara Vinson, a Brunswick native. “It’s sad, it’s heartbreaking at the stuff that’s going on in Brunswick.”
Betty Mckenzie is sad to see the violence amongst youth in her hometown of Brunswick. “They got to get control over the kids these days,” she said.
Just two weeks ago, a 17-year-old and 19-year-old were shot and killed. Then on January 24, a 15-year-old died after being shot and killed at an apartment complex.
Monday night, Brunswick Interim Police Chief Angela Smith brought local and federal law enforcement under one roof to hear from their concerned residents and also ask them to make sure they’re watching their kids, enforcing curfew and keeping them out of trouble.
“We want the community to know that we hear them, and we are aware of the crime and we are enforcing laws but we also want the community to know and parents to know that they too have an impact in this situation,” Smith said.
“We can’t do this without the response of the community and so it’s very impactful for us to work together,” she said.
“They can’t be afraid and they have to have that respect for us like we got to give back respect to the citizens,” said Glynn County Sheriff Neal Jump.
For Brunswick resident Edward Walker, this conversation hits close to home. “I was a gang banger, I did all the drugs. I sold drugs for many years,” said Walker. With Walker’s life making a complete 180, Monday’s call to action inspired him and many others to help the youth in the community.
“I’m leaving very encouraged and I’m leaving with a more vigor to want to do more. I want to step up even more now,” he said.
“It takes a village to raise a child, but we really got to get control over these kids because it’s really getting out of control,” said Mckenzie.
According to Smith, there will be more collaborative discussions in the future.
