Leaders Talk Curbing Gun Violence After Span Of Shootings In Pittsburgh Area
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - What is the solution to ending the ongoing violence in Pittsburgh? That's the big question after multiple shootings Thursday night into Friday morning.
"That's the trillion-dollar question. I think if we all knew that, we'd be doing it," said Pittsburgh City Council President Theresa Kail-Smith, who represents District 2.
The number of shootings in and around Pittsburgh continues to grow. There were six shootings in the city and Wilkinsburg on Thursday night. There were seven victims, including a 6-year-old girl.
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"It's tragic, it's disturbing. Our hearts go out to the families, to the communities and to those responding to it," said Kail-Smith.
Kail-Smith said leaders need to put current efforts under a microscope to figure out what is working and what isn't.
"There is a lot being done. But the question is, what more needs done? What is working? I think those are the areas we have to look at to enhance and expand. And if they are not working, we need to have an evaluation of those programs," Kail-Smith said.
"I think we really have to do a better job," she added.
Organizations and church leaders have been holding rallies and prayer vigils, calling on the community to come together to find solutions.
At the same time, Kail-Smith said city officials are constantly looking for new ways to address the violence, including the city's Stop the Violence Office, and law enforcement has been doing community policing.
"There is a lot of effort of everyone working together, but it still doesn't seem like we're reaching the people we need to reach, or we're not doing enough of what we need to do," Kail-Smith said.
It's a crucial time to figure out how to make the Steel City safer.
"It should show us that anyone could be a victim. So it behooves us all to be involved and try to find solutions, working collectively for the betterment of our city and our country," she said.
Kail-Smith also thinks there needs to be an assessment of social services in Allegheny County to see if services are helping prevent violent crimes.
Mayor Bill Peduto was not available to do an interview on Friday. Several city officials and city council members did not respond when asked to do interviews on Friday.
