Philadelphia City Council president on mass shooting at Fairmount Park: "It is totally unacceptable"
Reaction from city officials has begun pouring in after the deadly mass shooting in Philadelphia at Fairmount Park on Memorial Day.
Community members gathered at Hope Partnership for Education in North Philly on Tuesday night for a Community Town Hall on the city's budget.
While the focus was on where the tax dollars were going and the changes residents want to see, gun violence prevention was also sitting heavy on the minds of hearts of Philadelphians following Monday night's Memorial Day mass shooting at Lemon Hill.
"It is totally unacceptable, and as a city, we have to do more coming together and finding out ways to address the issue," Philadelphia City Council President Kenyatta Johnson said.
Councilmember Jeffrey Young Jr., a newly appointed member of the City Council's Special Committee on Gun Violence Prevention said, "We should not make this the norm."
"We should not just bow down to cowards in our city," Young said.
The NOMO Foundation, a nonprofit organization, has also been standing up to gun violence. It's been their mission since Day 1, and they strive to get young people on the right path.
"My condolences goes out to the family that had to suffer," Rickey Duncan, the CEO and executive director of the NOMO Foundation, said.
Duncan said this shooting is a wake-up call, and more still needs to be done.
"It's never a good thing when things like this transpire," Duncan said. "I am always flabbergasted to know the good work is going on in the city, and still bad things happening."
Duncan said he tries to teach the young kids about decision-making and the impact one wrong move can make on their lives.
"I want them to know that although it may be the thing to do at the time, just be mindful of the what if's and what could possibly happen," Duncan said.
When it comes to continuing the fight against gun violence, Duncan has a message.
"I think we continue to work, don't get pushed back," Duncan said. "Push forward if anything."
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