'We needed it': Kids drive discussion on Winton Hills gun violence solutions

CINCINNATI — Winton Hills residents met Saturday afternoon in search of solutions to gun violence in their neighborhood.

Dozens of community members met for two hours to define the problem and exchange ideas on how to fix it.

A key component to the discussion was the involvement of neighborhood children, some as young as eight years old.

“The sound of a gunshot scares me sometimes,” said 12-year-old Amayas. “If my mom’s walking to the store to get something, I will hear a gunshot or something, and I will think if she died… I’ll be scared. I’d be worried about her.”

Amayas’ mother wiped away tears as he spoke.

An 8-year-old told a similar story: “It makes me feel sad, because you’ve gotta see the kids dying. You don’t know how these parents feel.”

Kim Thompson lost her son to gun violence, and said an educational, community-based discussion on guns with children was needed.

“I want to be a part of it. Because I never want to see a mother, father, sister or brother go through what I went through. My baby died in my arms trying to protect me,” Thompson said.

Adriann Lynn said she thinks people have a misconception that the problem in Winton Hills is no longer solvable. She pushed back on that notion.

“They need to support these groups and meetings,” Lynn said.

Attendees broke out into small groups to write down how gun violence affected them and what a possible mitigation strategy might be. By the end of the session, a white board was full with some of the following ideas: better lighting, more police presence, gun education, employment opportunities and youth programs.

Winton Hills Community Council member Obalaye Macharia pointed out that none of these solutions are new, and city council is aware of all of them. However, he encouraged the community to be unified in speaking up that these are things the neighborhood wants.

“If we all come together and work together, I guarantee you the city will take us serious[ly],” Macharia said.

Several residents said they were frustrated that city council members make promises about Winton Hills during the campaign season but don’t seem to deliver once they get into office.

Save our Youth Kings and Queens helped organize the conversation. Founder Mitchell Morris, Sr., said having kids in the room is a solution itself.

“They can take what they learned here today and take it back out in the street, into their neighborhoods, and into their kitchen table,” he said. “That’s what we need to do.”