Latest news with #ArkansasStoptheViolence
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
‘We can turn it around,' Pine Bluff officials say that juvenile violence on the decline
PINE BLUFF, Ark. – Juvenile violence is on the decline in Pine Bluff. The Pine Bluff School District (PBSD) shared on Friday that office discipline referrals have nearly halved over the past two school years. Pine Bluff puts park curfews into effect, enforcing zero-tolerance policy Officials said that if one thing could be pointed to as a cause, it would be the Group Violence Intervention (GVI) movement. Jennifer Barbaree became PBSD superintendent shortly before the implementation of GVI in area schools. 'When GVI first started, we had lost nine students to murder in that school year,' Barbaree said. In July, it will be a year and a half since a juvenile homicide in Pine Bluff. PBSD office discipline referrals decreased by 30% this past school year. In elementary schools, discipline referrals have dropped by an average of 50%, with 34th Elementary seeing the most significant decline at 75%. Arkansas Stop the Violence speaks on recent string of homicides in Little Rock On Friday, during the last day of school, GVI hosted a community celebration in the Pine Bluff Convention Center. PBSD Assistant Superintendant Anthony Carlock said students were able to get excused absences for attending. 'This is a celebration, so when we think about, we are not counting youth homicides; we're celebrating how much life we still have in Pine Bluff, and how much life we can impact for our future,' Carlock said. Carlock said GVI helps students through mentoring, outreach, connecting people with resources, and rewarding those who invest in safety throughout the year. Director Kevin Crumpton explained that it also trains police and juvenile justice officers for their role. 'You got to be able to work together to make change in your particular city,' Crumpton said. Jasmine Jones has two children in the district. She just learned of GVI Friday, but she's noticed the effect it's had much sooner. 'It makes me feel better about my kids growing up in this community like we can turn it around,' Jones said. Jefferson County budget vetoed by judge, county remains without 2025 budget A state grant helped fund the formation of GVI. PBSD officials stated a program like this has the potential to improve communities across the state. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Yahoo
Little Rock's Awareness Center hosts Save the Rock event
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The mayor and other city and community leaders spent Saturday afternoon to talk about providing alternatives to youth violence. The event, Help Save the Rock, was hosted by the Awareness Center on 12th Street, and brought together a panel of youth program directors from around the city. Arkansas Stop the Violence speaks on recent string of homicides in Little Rock They addressed the need for safe environments and support for parents by providing information for parents and positive activities for young people. 'There's too much access to illegal guns in our city, our state, and our nation,' Mayor Frank Scott, Jr. said. Little Rock city leaders react after 8 homicides in the month of January Event founder Keith Tucker, Jr. said that they want to showcase programs that are available all year for children to participate in. 'We want to shine a light on those programs, and say hey these programs are available yearly, and your child an participate your child can come and participate in these,' Tucker said. Looking ahead to the summer, Help Save the Rock organizers are also asking business leaders to provide first jobs for young people when school is out. For more information about supporting youth, or . Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Yahoo
Arkansas Stop the Violence speaks on recent string of homicides in Little Rock
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Little Rock has already seen 10 homicides only 37 days into the new year. Little Rock police say of the 10 homicides, eight of the cases have already had arrests. A Little Rock police spokesperson said two of the investigations are still under file review, meaning there is a claim of self-defense. Little Rock police provide update on Wednesday officer involved shooting According to authorities, the two cases include a New Year's Day shooting that left a 17-year-old dead and a stabbing that resulted in an officer-involved shooting on Jan. 1. However, many people say it's getting out of hand as it seems like every day, we hear of another child victim, or a child being accused of a crime. Little Rock Police say at least six juveniles are being accused in the shootings that have already happened this year, with the number of kids shot rapidly approaching double digits. 'When these tragedies take place, it does not just affect the individual,' Assistant Director of Arkansas Stop the Violence Pastor Chris Carrigan said. According to Carrigan, gun violence impacts not only the victim and their loved ones but also the shooter's loved ones. Friends remember Park Plaza shooting victim Cynthia Gregory He said stopping violence starts with awareness for all ages and that awareness comes through resources. 'We have a lack of materials, a lack of resources, we have to be able to educate our people,' Carrigan said. According to Carrigan, the city of Little Rock doesn't have the resources needed, which is why he is trying to change the beat of others' hearts. 'We have to put God in the picture, we need to bring the church in the picture, it's the whole community we can't leave anybody out,' Carrigan said. Second victim dies, juvenile suspect arrested in Family Dollar shooting on Baseline Road in Little Rock Carrigan says he's spoken to city leaders about the needs and is finding hope in other communities that have turned their numbers around, including Pine Bluff, which reports a drastic decrease in homicide numbers. 'They did put some programs in place and some training and some information on violence and some classes and so we need to do that here,' Carrigan said. He shared his theories on why juvenile crime is on a trending rise. 'They have video games that they play, and it's all fun, but it's implanted in their mind, and they come out and live it in real life,' Carrigan said. Little Rock police arrest two juveniles in deadly Westbridge Apartments shooting According to Carrigan, there is still work that has to be done or the numbers will only continue to grow. 'We have to do everything that we possibly can in our power as leaders to make this happen,' Carrigan said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Yahoo
Little Rock city leaders react after 9 homicides in the month of January
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – There have been nearly 10 homicides in 30 days in Little Rock to start 2025. 'We hadn't had this many coming at this pace in a little while,' Pulaski County Prosecuting Attorney Will Jones said. Thursday, Jones joined local organizations including Arkansas Stop the Violence, Parents of Murdered Children, and Pain to Purpose to plead for change as 4 people have been killed in the last 3 days. 'We need everybody to come together now and say enough is enough,' Jones said. Little Rock police arrest suspect in deadly Park Plaza Mall shooting On Monday, 47-year-old Cynthia Gregory was shot and killed outside of Park Plaza Mall. 18-year-old Abdelrahmanahmed Sallam is behind bars after being accused of killing Gregory. Sallam has been charged with capital murder, aggravated robbery, aggravated assault, theft of property, and refusal to submit to arrest. Early Tuesday morning, police were called to investigate another deadly shooting on Stanton Road. Parents of Catholic High teen killed in Little Rock shooting release statement In that case, 15-year-old John Staats was found dead inside of a car, and a juvenile has been arrested for the murder of Staats. On the same evening of Staats' murder, officers were called to a scene on Labette Manor where 19-year-old Anthony White was found dead from a shooting. On Thursday, police began investigating a fourth homicide which left a woman dead at the Chenal Place Apartments on Reservoir Road. 'Hopefully this is not a trend that continues,' said Jones. Little Rock police identify man killed in Westbridge Apartments shooting Jones adds that crime is down. According to the police, in 2024 Little Rock saw 37 homicides. Although it may not have felt like it, that's a 41% decrease compared to 2023 which had 63 homicides. But despite the numbers, Jones said the youth of Pulaski County are in a crisis. 'We have teenagers carrying guns, shooting at cars, shooting up houses and killing people. They say it takes a village to raise a child but as these men have said, our village has ignored this problem for way too long,' Jones said. At the press conference, proactive measures were discussed to help get guns out the hands of children. Woman killed in deadly shooting at Reservoir Road apartment complex Rev. Bennie Johnon with Arkansas Stop the Violence asked for 'Governor Sanders to pass bringing in the Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms to the city of Little Rock to get these weapons off the street.' Will Jones said 'we're trying to figure out how we look outside the box than just this happens; we go to court and this happens. We've got to figure out a way to get with the community before the problem happens.' In the last decade, the largest number of homicides Little Rock had seen in a year was in 2022 where there were 81. Right now, with 9 in the first month of 2025, the capital city is on pace to shatter that. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
