'We are all to blame.' City officials lay out plan to address gun violence

In the wake of a record number of teen shootings, Mayor Aftab Pureval spoke about the issue publicly Thursday saying everyone needs to take responsibility for gun violence in the city.

"This isn't about blame. It's not about partisanship," Pureval said. "A 7-year-old outside her home was shot in the stomach. We are all to blame."

Last January, Cincinnati's city council declared gun violence a public health crisis and vowed to address the problem holistically.

During a press conference Thursday, the mayor, police and the city administration outlined some of the city's plans.

This summer, just like last summer, Cincinnati police will be working overtime to have an more presence in the streets and more officers on patrol. Officials did not say how much taxpayer money was being dedicated to overtime pay.

Chief Teresa Theetge said her department is continuing to have staffing shortages. She said the city's funding of three new recruit classes will help to grow the ranks.

Theetge said her neighborhood officers and youth services unit are working hard to reach kids in the community. She said the department is also working with other organizations to attempt to help kids already engaged in criminal activity because police programs tend not to attract those children.

City Manager Sheryl Long said the city has designated over $2 million toward initiatives meant to help curb violence.

• $1.6 million is earmarked for the human services fund, administered by the United Way of Greater Cincinnati. City leadership and the fund's board distribute the money through a grant process.
• $500,000 will go to the Safe and Clean fund through Keep Cincinnati Beautiful. Grants are issued from this fund to community organizations.
• Another $25,000 of Safe and Clean money is available for grants now. The deadline to apply is June 16.
• $650,000 is going to grant money for the Greater Cincinnati Foundation's Boots on the Ground fund. The foundation has awarded grants to 31 non-profits.

There were few specifics given about what organizations across the city will be doing with these funds.

Teen shooting spike

Theetge said that while fewer adults are being shot this year compared to last year, far more kids are getting shot. So far this year, 31 juveniles have been shot, more than triple the number at the same time last year.

"This is what everyone should be concerned about and appalled at," she said.

She did not say what was driving the violence and declined to say whether any of the shootings were connected. The mayor went further saying neighborhood groups are contributing to the violence.

"What law enforcement is seeing is not gang activity in the traditional sense, but rather groups of teenagers who are representing their neighborhood," Pureval said. "In the past, these beefs would result in fist fights or would result in violence, but not gun violence. Because now everyone has a gun, these conflicts, these beefs, these neighborhood disagreements devolve into gun violence."

Theetge said those involved in shootings will be brought to justice. She said arrests have been made in 67% of this year's homicides and she only expects that number to go up.

'What are you going to do'

Chief Theetge and Councilman Scotty Johnson echoed the mayor's comments and pleaded with the public to help solve the problem.

"Citizens, what are you going to do?" Johnson said. "This is not a situation where the police by themselves can do this. It's all hands on deck. Please come join this effort."

Theetge said safe storage of firearms could help keep guns out of the hands of teens. She said more than half of the 593 guns recovered by police this year were stolen, and half of those stolen guns are taken from vehicles. Free gun locks are available at every police district headquarters.

Theetge asked that anyone who sees or hears something about a young person having a gun call police. She said the callers can remain anonymous.

She said she believes that people knew the teens involved in recent shootings were carrying guns before anyone got hurt. The public should make the call to police before a teen makes a bad decision, Theetge said.

"I can guarantee we can find someone to help that child," she said. The police have partnerships with non-law enforcement groups, such as the mental health provider MindPeace, and others who can help people before the criminal justice system needs to get involved.

"We don't want to be the only provider of services," Theetge said. "We don't want to lock people up if we can intervene earlier."