COLUMBUS, Ohio — During this year's Juneteenth weekend, Barbershop Owner Al Edmondson and others in the Columbus community tried to create a 24-hour ceasefire in the city, urging people to put their guns down and pick up love instead.
Spread across the wall in Edmondson’s barbershop is a mural of the Mount Vernon community from years past. He said it reminds him of the togetherness and peace that was once in the neighborhood.
“Maybe I should've posted it more. Maybe I should've put more radio ads in there,” Edmondson said.
The ceasefire ended shortly after it started around 12:30 a.m. Saturday when Columbus police said a person was found shot at the Circle K on Schrock Road.
Just hours later, around 4:30 a.m., police found two people suffering from gunshot wounds on the city’s west side. Both were taken to Grant Medical Center.
Just after 8:50 p.m. that same day, police said one person was shot on Fairwood Avenue.
Edmondson said most of the shootings he hears of, involve young people. He said there needs to be more accountability.
"Parents need to quit being friends with their kids and really parent. Tell these young men and women that are out there that, 'we love you' and let them know that there's another way to solve your problems,” he said.
Edmondson said he knows ending gun violence won’t be solved overnight, but he’s not going to give up on his community.
Edmondson said next year, he will make sure there is a 24-hour ceasefire.
"We've got a long way to go, and it takes everybody to get on board," Edmondson said.