West Garfield Park residents want solutions on gun violence
CHICAGO (CBS) – A West Side community came together to vow to tackle the growing violence in their neighborhood.
On Wednesday night, police, the district council, and residents teamed up to take on the challenge. CBS 2's Marissa Perlman had a front-row seat to the heated conversation.
When James Ruffin grew up in Chicago in the 1960s, he said libraries were a sanctuary for kids on the West Side, but now, it's become the space where a 12-year-old and 16-year-old were shot and hurt earlier this month.
"It's so heartbreaking, a little guy gets shot," Ruffin said. "It's just too much."
A security guard carried the 12-year-old victim inside the Legler Regional Library and helped until paramedics arrived.
"If you can't come to a library and be protected, where can you come?" said Connie Green Mitchell.
But inside that same building, the newly elected 11th District Police Council held its first public meeting.
The room was filled with neighbors calling for peace. Neighbors asked everyone to step up to create a safer environment for families.
"It's ridiculous that we have to live like this in our old age, where we are scared to come out," said one attendee.
Some said they want more police on the street. Others said the responsibility goes beyond the police.
"This is not a police problem," another attendee said. "This is a community problem."
They came to talk about solutions, but the conversation on the council quickly turned to board politics.
"What we're trying to do is determine a structure of a deliberative body," said one council member. "This is not about power. It's about representation."
But neighbors said they're tired of talk and want to hear answers.
"Chicago should be safe north, south, east, or west," Ruffin said. "There is no in-between. I blame myself along with everyone else. We need to make this right."
He added, "We got to make this right and I'm going to do it in my lifetime."
The 11th District Council will continue to hold more meetings just like Wednesday's. In the shooting at the library, a Brookfield man was charged. Police said a 10-year-old girl was with him at the time.