Guns Down Saint Paul: Local group works to reduce gun violence

ST. PAUL, Minn. (KMSP) - Dora Jones Robinson stood in front of a group of local kids, teens, and adults Saturday and shared her story of why she organized the Guns Down Saint Paul Youth Summit.

“I lost my niece to gun violence,” said Jones Robinson, the Executive Director of Mentoring Young Adults. “She was shot eight times.”

Many in attendance at the summit had similar stories of how gun violence impacts their neighborhoods in St. Paul.

Talking about the Issues

During the event, participants broke into small groups to discuss resources, the trauma shootings have on communities and how parents can address guns.

“This is what’s going on in those breakout sessions we’re digging deep, we’re trying to figure out why it’s so quick for someone to pick up a gun and shoot someone that looks just like them,” Jones Robinson said.

“We have a bunch of leaders all around to facilitate and dig deep to see how the community is feeling and how gun violence is affecting them,” Program Assistant Christian McCleary said.

Relevant Timing

Gun violence struck St. Paul again - twice - on Friday night.

Police say someone was shot and killed a man off Suburban Avenue. Hours later, investigators said a shooter wounded five people off Desoto Street and York Avenue in an unrelated incident, with no arrests in either case.

Saturday afternoon a police spokesman said they did not have any updates in both investigations. Some at the Guns Down St. Paul event addressed the most recent violence in their city.

“We’ve got to have our young people understand that selling drugs, gangs and carrying guns...we’ve got to create an alternative; today is an alternative,” Jones Robinson said.

Click here for more information about Guns Down St. Paul.