COLUMBUS, Ohio — Over the past weekend, 11 people were shot in several shootings and three people died. Many of the shootings involved teenagers.
It’s an image that replays over and over again in Mike St. Clair’s mind every time he hears the news.
“It's unbelievable,” he said. “Every time I opened up an app to the news, I’m seeing somebody else get shot.”
St. Clair lost his son Anthony to violence in 2013.
"It started off as a nightmare, it began as a nightmare and I worked my way through it now. I feel that I’m ready to help someone get through the rough stage,” he said.
St. Clair is with Fathers of Murdered Columbus Children, an organization that partners with Mothers of Murdered Columbus Children.
It’s a group he doesn’t want any more fathers to join. St. Clair said one of their biggest objectives is connecting with young people.
"It cannot be reversed, it just cannot be changed,” he said.
According to data from the Columbus Division of Police, 46 people under the age of 21 were killed in homicides in 2022. Of suspects between the ages of 13 and 21, 52 of them were suspects in homicides.
10TV spoke with Ralph Carter, founder of We Are Linden. He said mentorship and leadership are key ways to steer young people in the right direction, away from violence.
"It's really important more than ever,” he said. "We need more big brothers and big sisters to come on and step up, not be afraid of our youth,” said Carter.
St. Clair said the pain he feels daily will never go away and wants to remind people that gun violence among the youth is preventable.
"They are the future, and they're setting up their futures to be very bleak,” he said.
Both men said it doesn’t matter what organization you turn to if you need help with your child. Both can be found on Facebook.