PORTLAND, Ore. — On the heels of Portland’s deadliest shooting of the year over the weekend, Portland community leaders and activists came together in a virtual meeting to talk about doing everything they can to prevent gun violence.
Local pastor Corey Pritchett brought the group together Thursday morning, and first acknowledged the reality.
“Many in our community are hurting, I'm hurting and our mothers are hurting,” said Pritchett at the ouster of the meeting.
The community is hurting over gun violence. Portland has seen 18 homicides in the city already this year, with five in the second half of March alone: two dead in a shooting at a hotel near the Portland International Airport, and another shooting last weekend that left three dead near University Park in North Portland, including two high school students.
“I want to start by saying I’m sad, I’m terrified and I’m angry with the gun violence that we have here in Portland, that is in my community,” said Lafonda Grant, a peer wellness specialist and community activist.
The recent deadly gun violence continues an epidemic that disproportionately affects young Black men. This meeting was about announcing some plans to change that and ask others to help.
“This is a call to come together as a community and to bring healing and peace and to come together to stop the violence,” said Pritchett.
Pritchett is the organizer of Better Portland which is putting together a pair of upcoming "Stop The Violence" events.
He will have help from community activists like Laurie Palmer, whose son was shot and killed in 2015. Palmer has been working to stop the violence ever since.
She was at University Park last Saturday, shortly after the senseless shooting. Palmer saw the human toll first hand.
“I’ve been [working] on gun violence for eight years and never, never seen what I seen or felt what I felt,” said Palmer.
But for this group and all who will join them, this is no time to stop trying to make a difference.
“I'm in this community and sitting at this table and on this call because our children and our family's lives are on the line,” said Palmer.
The upcoming events include an online gathering via Zoom on April 4 to get more people involved.
On April 15, a "Stop The Violence" rally will take place at 1 p.m. at Jefferson High School in North Portland. There will be numerous events including youth basketball games, and ways to get involved in helping young people find better paths in life.