Allegheny County

Public meeting held to address recent gun violence in Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH — In the past four days, there have been six shootings in the city of Pittsburgh.

Earlier this week, there were three deadly shootings in Pittsburgh.

On March 29, witnesses in Brookline heard shots before police found Devonte White dead in front of a home.

On March 30, police found 15-year-old Dayvon Vickers shot in broad daylight while riding his bike on North Homewood Avenue.

Also on March 30 — around the same time that Vickers was shot — 23-year-old Micah Stoner was shot and killed on Kingsboro Street in Mount Washington.

To find a resolution to the gun violence, a public meeting was held in Homewood by the Community Empowerment Association.

“Our communities are hemorrhaging. Our women and children are dying. And their blood is running in the street,” CEO of the Community Empowerment Association Rashad Byrdsong said.

The meeting was closed to the media but Channel 11 was there when Byrdsong stood with residents and read off a statement.

“We are calling on the mayor to assist residents in Homewood with more cameras on the corner, police presence, unkept buildings and lots of nuisance establishments, shootings and fights,” Byrdsong said.

Residents who attended the meeting offered their thoughts and ideas on how to reduce violent crime.

“Mental health goes under the radar. Especially in Black families how it wasn’t normally prevalent and we wouldn’t talk about it but it’s needed. More funding, how people, community involvement,” licensed therapist Tamara Thornhill said.

The next public meeting hasn’t been scheduled yet.