CINCINNATI — A local nonprofit is trying to reduce violence across Cincinnati — and they’re using friendly competition to do it.
Neighborhood Heroes 513 hosted its second-annual ‘Stop the Violence Softball Hood-to-Hood Tournament’, Sunday at Cleveland Park in Avondale.
Eight different neighborhoods put forth teams.
“We all come from different neighborhoods, different parts of the city, even parts from the city that might not get along,” said organization co-founder Jamar Batchelor.
Batchelor said that’s the point.
“Just show the youth that you don't have to do all this stuff that we're doing in the streets,” he said.
There have been 191 shootings in Cincinnati this year with 228 victims, according to city data updated last week. The number of shootings is down slightly from last year, but event organizers and advocates say numbers are still too high.
“Pray that people can put the weapons down, and get out and still enjoy life and have fun,” Batchelor said.
The organization first put on this event last year. Organizers say they were hoping it would be bigger this year.
“Show the kids that we don't gotta shoot each other kill each other,” co-founder Quentin Taylor said. “We could get along. We can be friends.”
It cost $50 per team to enter. The money will support a future event hosted by the organization.
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