>> GIVE ME ONE MINUTE HERE,
PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU FOR COMING IN, THIS
IS A VERY DIFFICULT DAY TO
DESCRIBE WHAT HAS RECENTLY
OCCURRED. LOGISTICALLY, I WILL
SAY A FEW WORDS AND I WOULD ASK
THAT CHIEF SAY A FEW WORDS ALONG
WITH THE CHIEF AND SPECIFICS OF
THE INCIDENT. ASKING
WEATHERSPOON, WHO HAS A
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FAMILY
AFFECTED, DIRECT RELATIONSHIP
THROUGH I BELIEVE HIS SON, WHO
JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH THE
PRINCIPAL AT GARFIELD HIGH
SCHOOL WHO IS THAT A DISTRICT
MEETING, WHO MAY TRY TO ATTEND
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY AS WELL, I
HAVE COMMUNITY LEADERS AND
COMMUNITY HEART HERE, WHO ARE
DOING THE KIND OF WORK TO
PREVENT THESE KIND OF TRAGEDIES.
LET ME SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT
WHAT THE BOTTOM LINE IS. THE
BOTTOM LINE IS, WE HAVE TOO MANY
GUNS ON OUR STREETS. THE BOTTOM
LINE IS, IT IS TOO EASY TO GET
ACCESS TO AGAIN. THIS MESSAGE
MAY SEEM REPETITIVE BUT IT IS
THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH IN OUR
COUNTRY, AND OUR STATE AND
INDEED, IN OUR CITY. THERE IS A
COMMONALITY WE SEE ACROSS THESE
KINDS OF INCIDENTS, AND UNTIL WE
ADDRESS THE BARRAGE OF GUNS IN
OUR CITY, WE WILL NEVER BE ABLE
TO MAKE SUSTAINABLE PROGRESS.
KIDS CANNOT LEARN WHEN THEY ARE
IN FEAR . IS A FORMER GARFIELD
STUDENT MYSELF, I HAVE THE
LUXURY OF BEING ABLE TO LEARN IN
AN ENVIRONMENT , THIS ORDINARY
NOISE OUTSIDE, NOT GUNFIRE.
UNTREATED TRAUMA, AS WE SPEAK .
PARENTS, COMMUNITY LEADERS ,
STUDENTS, LOVED ONES, AND WE
WILL CONTINUE TO INVEST IN
ORNAMENTS TO GO DEEP INTO THE
COMMUNITY TO ASSIST IN THE
HEALING PROCESS AS WELL, THAT IS
EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT. WHEN WE
GRIEVE AS A COMMUNITY. OUR KIDS
NEED HEALTH SUPPORT, THAT IS WHY
YOU SEE US INVESTING IN THESE
KIND OF MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT
SYSTEMS. I CAN'T USE THE WORD
TRAUMA ENOUGH TO DESCRIBE WHAT
OUR CHILDREN ARE GOING THROUGH.
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST SHOOTING
AT GARFIELD AND THESE KIDS
DESERVE BETTER. I WILL LAUGH
THAT CHIEF AND CHIEF SHARE MORE
BUT I'M DIRECTING TO LOOK AT
THE AREA AND I HAVE TO MAKE THIS
CRYSTAL CLEAR. WHEN I ASK FOR
INCREASED ATTENTION OR INCREASED
PATROLS, IT IS NOT TO OVER
POLICE. IT IS TO PROTECT. IT IS
TO DEVELOP A BOND WITH THE
COMMUNITY , SO THE COMMUNITY
FEELS WE HAVE AN INVESTMENT
STRATEGY TO PROTECT HIM.
TOMORROW IS NATIONAL GUN
VIOLENCE AWARENESS DAY, WE LAND
AN EVENT TO COMMEMORATE A NEW
MEMORIAL GARDEN FOR VICTIMS OF
GUN VIOLENCE AT MARTIN LUTHER
KING JR. MEMORIAL PARK AT --. I
WOULD LIKE TO INVITE ALL MEMBERS
TO JOIN US AS WE GRAPPLE WITH
THIS TOGETHER, AS WE CRY
TOGETHER, AS WE HEAL TOGETHER. I
ALSO WANT TO CLOSE MY REMARKS BY
SAYING IF YOU ARE A STUDENT OR A
PARENT COMMUNITY MEMBER WHO HAS
INFORMATION ABOUT THIS CRIME AND
IT WAS A CRIME, LET'S NOT MINCE
WORDS. PLEASE CALL 206-233-5000
. I REPEAT, 206-233-5000. THERE
ARE RESTRICTIONS ON HOW WE CAN
GO ABOUT GATHERING INFORMATION
AND GATHERING EVIDENCE,
PARTICULARLY TALKING TO YOU THEN
WE COMPLY WITH THOSE
RESTRICTIONS BUT WE ALSO WANT TO
MAKE SURE WE ARE AGGRESSIVELY
INVESTIGATING WHAT A AND AND
WITH THAT, I'LL INTRODUCE CHIEF
TO SAY A FEW WORDS. CHIEF?
>> I JUST, I DON'T EVEN KNOW
WHERE TO BEGIN. I AM FEELING THE
HEART OF A MOTHER. I CAN'T
IMAGINE WHAT THIS YOUNG MAN'S
FAMILY IS GOING THROUGH AND HIS
FRIENDS, SO I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE HOW REASSURE PEOPLEO
LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL
REDOUBLE OUR EFFORTS IN THIS
COMMUNITY TO TRY AND HELP THE
STUDENTS AND THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE
APPEAR TO FEEL A SENSE OF
SAFETY. I KNOW THAT IS GOING TO
BE VERY HARD. I WANT TO
REITERATE WHAT THE MAYOR SAID
ABOUT WHEN I COMING IN HERE TO
BE HARD-CORE POLICING, WE ARE
COMING INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO
GATHER WITH THE COMMUNITY, WORK
WITH THE COMMUNITY. WE HAVE A
WHOLE GROUP OF PEOPLE BACK HERE
I'M VERY INTERESTED IN FINDING
WAYS WE CAN PARTNER MORE CLOSELY
WITH THE COMMUNITY. WE CAN'T
OVERCOME GUN VIOLENCE ONLY WITH
THE POLICE. WE HAVE TO DO IT
TOGETHER. I REALLY WANT TO FOCUS
ON WHAT WE CAN DO TO PARTNER
WITH THE COMMUNITY. USE, THE GUN
VIOLENCE WITH YOUTH IS JUST, I,
I STRUGGLE TO FIND WORDS TO
DESCRIBE IT. WE HAD A MEETING
YESTERDAY WHERE WE DO A REVIEW
OF ALL THE CRIME VIOLENCE IN THE
CITY, AND THERE ARE TOO MANY
GUNS OUT THERE AND WE'VE GOT TO
FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET ON TOP
OF THAT BUT WE'VE GOT TO WORK
TOGETHER. I AM LOOKING FORWARD
TO WORKING WITH THE PEOPLE WHO
ARE BEHIND ME BECAUSE I THINK
THAT IS THE KEY, WE WILL WORK
TOGETHER. I'M GOING TO INVITE
CHIEF BARTON TO GIVE US AN
UPDATE OF WHAT WE KNOW .
>> THE INVESTIGATION IS IN FULL
SWING RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE CRIME
SCENE INVESTIGATORS ARE
FINISHING UP PROCESSING
METICULOUSLY OF THE SCENE, THE
INVESTIGATORS WITH STUDENTS AND
WITNESSES, WE ARE LOOKING AT ANY
AVAILABLE VIDEO ASSOCIATED WITH
THE INCIDENT AND WHAT I CAN TELL
YOU RIGHT NOW , AND THE
INFORMATION MAY CHANGE AS WE
DELVE DEEPER BUT WHAT WE
BELIEVED TO HAVE OCCURRED AT
THIS POINT IS THERE WAS AN
ALTERCATION BETWEEN TWO HIGH
SCHOOL AGE MALES THE VICTIM IN
THIS INCIDENT TRIED TO INTERVENE
AND BREAK UP A FIGHT AND
SOMETIME AFTER THAT, IT IS
UNCLEAR WHETHER IT WAS
IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT , OR A
FEW MINUTES AFTER THAT, ONE OF
THE ORIGINAL COMBATANTS APPROACH
THE VICTIM, APPARENTLY ANGRY
THEY HAD INTERVENED AND SOME
WORDS WERE EXCHANGED, THERE WAS
SOME ALTERCATION AND THEN THE
SUSPECT PULLED OUT A WEAPON AND
FIRED A NUMBER OF ROUNDS AT OUR
VICTIM, STRIKING OUR VIC HIM.
THE SUSPECT THEN FLED THE AREA.
WHEN OFFICERS RESPONDED, THEY
WERE ABLE TO HEAR FROM WITNESSES
WHICH DIRECTION HE WENT. WE
FLOODED THOSE AREAS IMMEDIATELY
WITH ADDITIONAL OFFICERS LOOKING
TO PROVIDE SECURITY AND ALSO
POTENTIALLY LOCATE THE SUSPECT .
WE WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL IN DOING
THAT. I AM HOPEFUL THAT AS THE
INTERVIEWS ARE CONTINUING AS WE
SPEAK, THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO
IDENTIFY THE SUSPECT WHO IS
DESCRIBED AS A HIGH SCHOOL AGED
MALE AND WE WILL KEEP YOU
UPDATED AND INFORMED ONCE WE
HOPEFULLY MAKE AN ARREST IN THIS
CASE.
>> THANK YOU, CHIEF BARTON.
BEFORE I ASK WEATHERSPOON TO SAY
A FEW WORDS AND I'M SURE THERE
WILL BE SOME QUESTIONS, I WANT
TO THINK AGAIN SOME OF THE FOLKS
BEHIND ME, PARTICULARLY THE
FAMILY ON THE ORGANIZATION TO
THAT, THE HUMAN FAMILY
ORGANIZATION, THEY PUT
THEMSELVES IN HARMS WAY
THEMSELVES DOING THAT KIND OF
WORK AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
THAT. NOT EASY WORK.
>> I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE I'M
STANDING WITH DEPUTY MAYORS
LONG, EMERY AND BURGESS WITH ME.
WE ARE FULLY COMMITTED TO
INVESTING IN DEVELOPING POLICIES
TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY. I WANT
TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE
COUNCILMEMBER, JOY
HOLLINGSWORTH, THESE ARE THE
STREETS SHE PLAYED ON AS A YOUNG
LADY. SHE IS NOW AN ELECTED
LEADER. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
COUNCILMEMBER , I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE COUNCILMEMBER
CATTLE, WHO RAN FOR OFFICE TO
PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY . THANK
YOU FOR YOUR PRESENCE,
COUNCILMEMBER CATTLE. WITH THAT,
I WANT TO ANNOUNCE BISHOP
WEATHERSPOON , THANK YOU ON
SHORT NOTICE FOR ALLOWING US TO
USE YOUR CHURCH FOR THIS
CONFERENCE . I KNOW YOU GREW UP
ON THE STREETS, I KNOW YOU
ATTENDED GARFIELD HIGH SCHOOL. I
KNOW THIS IS IMPORTANT TO YOU
AND I KNOW YOU ARE DOING
COMMUNITY WORK TO PROTECT OUR
COMMUNITY AND AS A MAN, THANK
YOU FOR THE AND WITH THAT, I
INTRODUCE BISHOP REGGIE
WEATHERSPOON.'S PAYMENT THANK
YOU, MR. MAYOR. AS A PERSON WHO
IS IN THE BUSINESS OF TOUCHING
LIVES AND MAKING PEOPLE BETTER,
MY HEART IS ABSOLUTELY CRUSHED.
IT IS BROKEN AND IT LEADS. THIS
IS A TRAGEDY OF EPIDEMIC
PROPORTION. THE FRIENDS WE HAVE
, WE HAVE AN EPIDEMIC ON OUR
HANDS. WE ARE ON THE VERGE OF
LOSING AN ENTIRE GENERATION OF
YOUNG PEOPLE. THIS IS NOT A
RACIAL ISSUE, THIS IS A HUMAN
ISSUE. THE QUESTION BEGS AN
ANSWER, WHAT WOULD A YOUNG
TEENAGER BE DOING WITH A GUN TO
BEGIN WITH? WE NEED TO BE ABLE
TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS. THERE
IS A SCRIPTURE THAT I SUBSCRIBE
TO , MY PEOPLE ARE DESTROYED FOR
THE LACK OF LIGHT. IT IS THE
KNOWLEDGE ISSUE SO WE MUST COME
TOGETHER AS THE CHURCH AND IS
COMMUNITY BECAUSE THIS IS NOT AN
ISSUE THE POLICE CAN HANDLE BY
THEMSELVES. I WOULD LIKE TO
SUGGEST TO YOU THAT WHEN
SOMEONE'S HEART IS NOT RIGHT,
THERE IS NOTHING THE POLICE CAN
DO FOR THAT BUT WE THE CHURCH
AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE
IN THE BUSINESS OF TRANSFORMING
PEOPLE'S LIVES, WE MUST COME
TOGETHER AND BELIEVE IN THE GOOD
IN THESE PEOPLE AND UNDERSTAND,
IF YOU GET THE RIGHT INFORMATION
IN THEM, THE RIGHT KNOWLEDGE IN
THEM, THEY MAKE BETTER CHOICES.
THIS IS A VERY COMPLEX ISSUE
THAT HAS LAYERS OF CHALLENGE.
THE FIRST LAYER IS KNOWLEDGE. WE
NEED TO GET THE RIGHT KNOWLEDGE
INTO OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. THE
SECOND LAYER IS FAMILY, WE'VE
GOT TO STRENGTHEN OUR FAMILY.
THIS YOUNG MAN STANDING BEHIND
ME HE GREW UP IN THIS CHURCH, WE
GOT HIM OFF OF GANGS YEARS AGO ,
CHANGED HIS LIFE. THIS IS AN
EXAMPLE OF WHAT CAN BE. WE NEED
TO KNOW IT WAS POSSIBLE, BUT
WHEN WE INTRODUCE THEM TO A .
YOU HAVE TO GET PEOPLE
TRANSFORMED THROUGH THE POWER OF
JESUS CHRIST. I WANT TO SAY
THAT, SO WE'VE GOT TO REACH OUT
AS THE CHURCH AND OTHER ENTITIES
TO TRANSFORM PEOPLE ON THE
INSIDE AND THEY WILL MAKE BETTER
CHOICES ON THE OUTSIDE. WE'VE
GOT TO REACH OUT TO OUR FAMILIES
, WE'VE GOT TO BELIEVE IN OUR
YOUNG PEOPLE, THIS YOUNG MAN WHO
LOST HIS LIFE TRAGICALLY WAS THE
MEMBER OF THE GARFIELD FOOTBALL
TEAM OF WHICH MY SON COACHED FOR
THE LAST FOUR YEARS. MY SON
MENTORED HIM, BELIEVED IN HIM,
GAVE HIM OPPORTUNITIES , HELPED
TO MOVE THE SCALES IN HIS LIFE.
MY SON IS BROKEN. WE MUST COME
TOGETHER AND STOP THIS. WE MUST
BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE ARE BETTER,
WE MUST LOVE ON THEM, WE MUST
CORRAL AND CARESS THEM AND LET
THEM KNOW WE BELIEVE IN HIM.
LET'S COME TOGETHER WITH THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT AND LET'S NOT
LET IT BE AN ISSUE THAT KIDS
EVEN HAVE GUNS IF WE CAN GET THE
RIGHT INFORMATION INTO THEIR
HANDS, AND -- WE CAN GET RID OF
THEM HAVING GUNS AND WANTING TO
DO VIOLENCE AND THINGS LIKE
THAT. TWO DAYS AGO, I CELEBRATED
MY OLDEST GRANDSON GRADUATION
FROM HIGH SCHOOL. IF WE CAN GET
OUR FAMILIES BACK SHOWN, RAISE
FOUR AMAZING HUMAN BEINGS. I
HAVE NINE GRANDCHILDREN, BROKE
CYCLES IN MY KIDS. I DECIDED
THEY WOULD NOT BE STATISTICS. I
DECIDED BY WHAT I PUT IN THEM,
THEY WOULD BE PRODUCTIVE
STUDENTS IN INDIVIDUALS IN HUMAN
BEINGS. LET'S GET OUR FAMILIES
BACK TOGETHER, BUT THE CHURCH
COME TOGETHER WITH THE
COMMUNITY. LET'S COME UP WITH
SOLUTIONS THAT LITERALLY
TRANSFORM PEOPLE'S LIVES. SO WE
CAN SEE KIDS GRADUATE AND NOT
ARREST THEM FOR MATTERS. I
BELIEVE IT IS POSSIBLE IF WE
COME TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE IT
HAPPEN.
>> BEFORE I ANSWER A FEW
QUESTIONS, WE TRY TO PROVIDE
FACTUAL INFORMATION AS WE COULD.
I WANT TO SAY AND COMMENT TO THE
FAMILY , PARTICULARLY TO ANY
PARENT OR BROTHER OR SISTER
PICKED WORDS CAN'T EXPRESS THE
EMPATHY, SYMPATHY, SADNESS, THE
EMOTION THEY ARE GOING THROUGH.
I HOPE THEY REALIZE THAT THEY
ARE LOVING AND CARING HEARTS OUT
THERE WITH THEM WHO STAND WITH
THEM IN PRAYER AND LOVE AND
SUPPORT AS WE GET THROUGH THIS.
AND WITH THAT, IF THERE ANY
QUESTIONS? PAYMENT GARFIELD HIGH
SCHOOL, JUST LIKE YOU , A LOT OF
PEOPLE HERE ON THE STAGE, MY
QUESTION IS FOR YOU, SIR, WHAT
IS YOUR MESSAGE FOR US THAT LIVE
IN THIS COMMUNITY. WHAT DO WE
NEED TO DO? HOW CAN WE GET
INVOLVED? THE GAP BETWEEN PEOPLE
THERE ON THE STAGE AND THE
PEOPLE WHO ARE READY TO FIGHT
FOR THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD? WE WANT
TO FIGHT FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS IS NOT NORMAL, WHAT WE ARE
EXPERIENCING, WE ARE NOT LIVING
LIKE NORMAL PEOPLE LIVING IN
FIELD, WE ARE READY TO TAKE ON A
CHALLENGE TO RECLAIM OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD, HOW CAN WE WORK
WITH THE CITY AND ELECTED
OFFICIALS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
DEPUTY MAYOR, HOW CAN WE BRIDGE
THE GAP BECAUSE WE ARE READY TO
TAKE BACK OUR COMMUNITY TO BE
SAFE FOR OUR PARENTS,
GRANDPARENTS AND KIDS? I
APPRECIATE THE QUESTION I THINK
THE ANSWER IS POWERFULLY
IMPLICIT IN YOUR QUESTION.
NUMBER ONE, WE HAVE TO BE AT ONE
WITH THE COMMUNITY, WE HAVE TO
LET THE STREETS TALK TO US, WE
HAVE TO LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY.
OUR STRONGEST AND MOST EFFECTIVE
ANSWERS WILL COME FROM THE
COMMUNITY. THAT IS WHY WE HAVE
PARTNERS HELPING US WITH THIS
KIND OF WORK. WE WILL CONTINUE
TO PARTNER WITH COMMUNITY-BASED
ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP US FIGURE
THIS OUT TOGETHER. NUMBER TWO,
OUR INVESTMENT STRATEGIES HAVE
TO BE ALIGNED WITH PROTECTING
EVERYBODY , AND WHETHER THAT'S
TECHNOLOGY OR ANALYTICS OR CRIME
INFORMATION, HOWEVER WE USE OUR
INVESTMENTS AS A CITY, THEY HAVE
TO ALIGNED TOWARDS PUBLIC
SAFETY. AM VERY PROUD THE
CURRENT COUNSEL UNDERSTAND THAT
PROTECTING COMMUNITIES IS OUR
UNIFYING SPIRIT. THIRDLY, I
ALLUDED TO MY REMARKS, RCW
.4290, THAT IS ESTATE EXEMPTION
LAW WHICH PRETTY MUCH PREEMPTS
CITIES AND MAYORS LIKE MYSELF
FROM IMPOSING CERTAIN LAWS THAT
I WOULD SEE FIT TO IMPOSE HAD I
THAT DISCRETION. I PUBLICLY
CALLED FOR STATE LEGISLATURE
THAT ARE DOING GREAT WORK IN
BANNING ASSAULT RIFLES IN WE AR
STORAGE. TOMORROW, WE WILL HAVE
A LOT BOX GIVEAWAY EVENT WITH
OUR COMMUNITY-BASED
ORGANIZATIONS ALL OVER THE CITY.
WE WILL CONTINUE AND INVESTMENT
STRATEGY AND WE CONTINUE TO ASK
OUR STATE TO ALLOW US TO PROTECT
OUR STREETS BETTER. IT'S A
THREEFOLD APPROACH, ONE I AM
FULLY COMMITTED TO. ANSWERS ARE
GOING TO COME FROM THE COMMUNITY
AND WHETHER THIS IS ALSO
SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT, I AM A
FIRM BELIEVER IN THAT. I GREW UP
A FEW BLOCKS FROM HERE. WHETHER
IT IS THE KIND OF POLICE OFFICER
UNDER INTERIM POLICE THAT SHE
WRITES ABOUT AND LECTURES ABOUT
AND IS AN EXPERT ABOUT, THAT
KIND OF POLICE OFFICER THAT IS
TRULY PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITY
AND OUR INVESTMENT STRATEGY. SO,
WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER LIFE LOST
TO IMPLEMENT THE STRATEGY, WHAT
WE NEED IS POLITICAL, WILL WE
HAVE THAT. WE NEED AN INVESTMENT
STRATEGY AND A STRONG COMMUNITY,
WE HAVE THAT. WE HAVE THE
COMPONENTS TO DO THIS WORK AND
WE STAND WITH YOUR. NEXT
QUESTION PLEASE.
>>
>> I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER
WHO MAY SPEAK ON MY. LET ME SAY
A FEW WORDS ABOUT PROCEDURE,
THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION, FAIR
QUESTION. WHO TALKS TO FAMILY
MEMBERS, WHAT RELEASES IT
RELEASES TO THE PUBLIC, THAT
PROCESS IS VERY DEFINED. EVEN IF
IT'S NONRESPONSIVE, WHAT THE
PROCESSES OR WHETHER THEY HAVE
LIBERTY TO RESPOND TO THAT
DIRECTLY.
>> WHEN WE TURNED LIFESAVING
EFFORTS OWED TO THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT, THEY TOOK THIS YOUNG
MAN TO HARBORVIEW. I HAVE NOT
BEEN, THE LAST UPDATE I RECEIVED
IS HE WAS IN SURGERY BUT THAT
WAS A COUPLE OF HOURS AGO. I
HAVE NOT BEEN UPDATED. IT IS MY
UNDERSTANDING THAT HARBORVIEW
WILL UPDATE HIS CONDITION.
>> OKAY, THERE AND OTHER
QUESTIONS? YES, MAN.
>> CAN YOU REFLECT ON THIS AND
HOW YOU APPROACH TO CHANGE ,
YOUR TIME --
>> I WILL BE BRIEF BECAUSE I
THINK THIS NEEDS TO STAY FOCUSED
ON THE TRAGEDY IN FRONT OF US
THAT I WILL SAY, I HAVE BEEN
SPENDING MANY HOURS WITH CPC
YESTERDAY, INTERNAL MEMBERS OF
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND I AM
HOPEFUL WE CAN MOVE THINGS
FORWARD. SO MUCH EXCITEMENT
ABOUT TAKING A BIG STEP FORWARD.
I'M LISTENING TO A LOT OF
PEOPLE. I THINK WE HAVE HUGE
POTENTIAL BUT I WILL TELL YOU
FOR THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE, MY
FOCUS IS DEALING ON THIS
TRAGEDY. I NEED TO GET TO KNOW
THE PEOPLE STANDING BEHIND ME
BETTER. BACK IN THE DAYS WHEN I
WAS A GANG UNIT COMMANDER,
LONGTIME BACK, HAD THOSE
CONNECTIONS. I NEED TO REVIEW --
REBUILD US BECAUSE WE HAVE TO
WORK TOGETHER.
>> THE PEOPLE BEHIND YOU --
>> I'M SORRY, I MISSED THE
FIRST PART, COULD YOU REPEAT IT?
>> FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD.
OKAY. ENERGY FROM THE COMMUNITY.
PAUL, AND INTRODUCE.
>> MY NAME IS PAUL, FIRST AND
FOREMOST, I AM A MEMBER OF THE
COMMUNITY. MY PARENTS BEFORE ME
KNOW WHAT THE SAME ISSUE AND
HERE WE ARE, MANY YEARS LATER
DEALING WITH THE SAME ISSUE. I
THINK THE BIGGEST ISSUE AS OUR
UNITY. WE DON'T WORK TOGETHER.
WE SAY WE WILL WORK TOGETHER,
BUT WE DON'T REALLY WORK
TOGETHER. IT'S NOT GOING TO
JUST TAKE ONE PART OF OUR
COMMUNITY BUT ALL OF OUR
COMMUNITY BECAUSE VIOLENCE
AFFECTS ALL OF US, BOTH DIRECTLY
AND INDIRECTLY. OUT FOR
ORGANIZATION, WE HAVE WHAT WE
CALL COUSINS ON THE WORK. WE ARE
FAMILY FROM COMMUNITY , THE BOYS
AND GIRLS CLUB SOUTHEAST
NETWORK, YMCA, WE ARE ALL TRYING
TO FIGURE THIS ISSUE OUT AND IT
WILL NOT BE DONE WITH JUST ONE
ORGANIZATION, BUT ALL OF US
TOGETHER. WE HAVE SAFETY TEAMS
THAT MOBILIZE AFTER AN INCIDENT
THAT HELPS SUPPORT SAFETY
EFFORTS THAT THE POLICE ARE
INVESTIGATING. OUR JOB IS TO
MAKE SURE THERE IS AN AND NEXT
CYCLE OF RETALIATION, THAT THE
FAMILIES ARE CARED FOR AND
SUPPORTED. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT
THAT COMMUNITY EXPRESS OUR LOVE
AND SUPPORT FOR THIS ISSUE, AS
IT IS AN ISSUE THAT HAS IMPACTED
US ALL. I THINK ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT IS TOUCH MY HEART AS
OF LATE, THERE IS AN OLD AFRICAN
PROVERB THAT SAYS WHEN A YOUNG
PERSON IS NOT EMBRACED BY HIS
VILLAGE, HE WILL BURN IT DOWN
JUST TO FEEL ITS WARMTH. IT'S
TIME FOR US TO EMBRACE THE YOUNG
PEOPLE BEFORE THEY PICK UP GUNS
AND JUST LIKE PASTOR
WEATHERSPOON SPOKE ON, MY LIFE
WAS TRANSFORMED IN A PLACE LIKE
THIS , AND THE MESSAGE WAS
SIMPLE BUT I WAS WORTH SOMETHING
AND GOD HAD A PURPOSE FOR MY
LIFE, SO MY WIFE AND I HAVE
GIVEN OUR LIVES IN SERVICE TO
THE COMMUNITY SO IT IS SAFER FOR
ALL OF US. THANK YOU.
>> I THINK THAT IS A GOOD NOTE
TO PAR ON AS WE CONTINUE THIS
WORK AND AGAIN, TO THE FAMILY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING
HERE WITH US THIS EVENING. THANK
YOU.