Over the past two weekends in Miami-Dade County, there have been a series of deadly shootings.
Yesterday, county commissioners unanimously approved a long-term plan to address poverty and gun violence issues.
This comes just as the police department launched its own efforts by increasing community surveillance, police visibility and code enforcement.
Still, some activists say these plans have some blind spots.
Lyle Muhammed is Executive Director of the Circle of Brotherhood in Miami. That is an organization of primarily Black men dedicated to mentorship and gun violence prevention.
“Right now, all communities where shootings take place are completely, thoroughly immersed in trauma with no attention being paid to it and no proper support.”
He says more police presence is not the answer.
Local grassroots organizations like his are calling on the county to grant them funding to continue and expand the work they do in the community–which includes counseling and classes on bandaging gunshot wounds.
