COLUMBUS, Ohio — City and community leaders on Tuesday locked arms in the fight to end gun violence in the city of Columbus.
Many people gathered for the Columbus Office of Violence Prevention's community conversation on violence prevention. Those in attendance were updated on what's happening within the community, and the latest crimes and intervention programs.
"There are no quick and easy fixes or answers to gun violence. We must do better, we have to do something,” said Dr. Mysheika Roberts with Columbus Public Health.
Declared a public health crisis, gun violence has claimed the lives of 114 people this year.
According to data given to 10TV from the Columbus Division of Police, 36 victims were between the ages of 22 and 30, and 37 suspects as well.
Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant said they're seeing a trend in domestic violence-related homicides with 19 already this year. She said last year, there were only seven.
"[This] shows us that there is a strong need for intervention in the household,” said Bryant.
The police chief said more victims and suspects are teens and young adults, with data showing 28 people killed between the ages 13-21 and 55 people as suspects between those same ages.
"We have so many creative young people in our community that have the ability to do or be anything they want to be sometimes they just don't have that support, or they don't have that mentorship, or they don't have the outlet or ability to do those things,” said Chief Bryant.
Mayor Andrew Ginther said it’s vital that city and community leaders work together to end gun violence.
"We really need to have this comprehensive approach if we want to see violence go down and stay down throughout our city,” said Mayor Ginther.
The mayor said the city has made progress this summer with different programs, through intervention programs like ReRoute, which is for youth or VOICE, a program that connects victims of violence to medical, clinical, and community social service programs.
"We have to be vigilant we want to be the safest big city in the country, and we know we're not there yet,” said Ginther.