CINCINNATI — Cincinnati leaders, community members and Over-the-Rhine residents are all grappling with their emotions after a drive-by shooting Wednesday near Grant Park hurt four people, including two teens and a 10-year-old.
Dozens met Thursday morning with the city manager, assistant city manager and a Cincinnati Police Department representative to discuss ways to prevent gun violence in the area.
One of those people was Rochelle Roe who has an 11-year-old daughter and lives down the road from where the shooting happened.
"She wasn't outside yesterday to witness what happened but from what she saw on the news, she's like, 'Mom, I want to move,'" Roe said. "She's afraid to come outside."
She said she went to the meeting Thursday morning to make her voice heard.
Cincy Insights data shows 33 kids have been shot in Cincinnati so far this year. It's the highest that number has been in 15 years.
City leaders are also reacting to the shooting, with City Manager Sheryl Long sharing her own personal experience with gun violence.
"I think it's important for people to understand that I know where they come from because I have lost a sister to gun violence, and they have not found the shooter. And it happened just like what happened yesterday," she said. "I am triggered along with you and what is even more problematic is that I know we're doing as much as we can as a city."
Long said the city will continue to do as much as it can and work with community members to stop gun violence.
She said the work they're doing now started after the Fourth of July shooting at Smale Park in 2021. This includes enacting gun safety laws and funding community organizations.
"Being safe should not be an option, it should be a right," said Iris Roley, community activist and consultant for the city.
City leaders said they can't solve the problem on their own.
"We need everybody's help. This has to be an all hands on deck situation because this is completely unacceptable," said Assistant City Manager Virginia Tallent.
These city leaders said community partners are key, but they said they see the state as another roadblock, citing the law to allow permitless carry.
"We should be lobbying our state officials who are giving us these laws that we see that are not working in our cities," Roley said.
Those who were in favor of this law when it was passed feel differently.
"This legislation works," previously said Rob Sexton with the Buckeye Firearms Association. "It gives people their God-given right to defend themselves and their loved ones."
City leaders say more community partners are key to reducing gun violence.
"We are having difficulty reaching people, that is a government issue," Long said.
They encourage anyone who would like to get involved to contact the city.
READ MORE:
OTR shootings outpace 2022 numbers, neighborhood now tops list for shootings this year
'We're right in the middle': Over-the-Rhine resource groups work to improve safety around Grant Park
Community leaders want the city to invest in California gun violence prevention program
