Organization working to end gun violence speaks out about Grant Union High shooting
SACRAMENTO - A community organization is working to stop gun violence in the Del Paso Heights neighborhood of Sacramento.
On Friday, a shooting in the parking lot of Grant Union High school in Del Paso Heights left one man dead. CBS13 spoke to the organization about what they're doing to prevent it from happening again.
High school football games are supposed to be a safe place for the community to come together. But last night, the parking lot at Grant Union High was a scene of an altercation involving 20 people that ultimately led to a shooting that killed one person.
Pastor Penani Poloai is one of the leaders of Brother-to-Brother, a faith-based organization providing mentorship to at-risk youth. Their goal is to protect middle and high school students against gang violence and gang influence.
As a father to an 18-year-old Pastor Poloai says he's seen too many parents bury their children due to gang violence. He says it's his mission to help prevent that, and right now, their work is more important than ever, he says.
"I did this because I didn't want to bury my son. That's the truth of the matter. That's why I got heavy, deeply into the community because I wanted to make sure that the message get out. It's not right for parents to bury their kids," he said.
Police say the incident happened shortly before 10 p.m. Friday night. Grant was hosting Monterey Trail High School for the Metro League championship game. A gun was found at the scene.
Police say the victim, who wasn't a student, was in his mid-20s. He died in the hospital.
Since the investigation is still in its early stages, no suspect information has been released. The victim's identity will be released after notification of next of kin.
The Sacramento Police Department encourages any witnesses with information regarding this investigation to contact the dispatch center at (916) 808-5471 or Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at (916) 443-HELP (4357). Callers can remain anonymous.