South Jersey leaders, advocates discuss gun violence prevention at luncheon
CAMDEN, N.J. (CBS) -- Camden County leaders and anti-gun violence advocates came together to find solutions to tackling crime. It was a packed house for the Moms Demand Action luncheon in Camden County Thursday.
People from all over South Jersey including many from the Latino community came together to discuss gun violence prevention.
"Hopefully, everyone just can put the guns down," Camden County deputy chief Janell Simpson said.
"It touches all of us in some way," volunteer Denise Spaulding said.
Much of the discussion centered around the disproportionate impact gun violence has on minorities like Latinos who make up 51% of Camden residents.
"To see it here where you're in the states, you come here for a better life," Simpson said. "It's kind of disheartening."
According to the Violence Policy Center, between 1999 to 2019 nearly 70,000 Hispanics were killed by guns. In 2019, 37 Hispanics died from gun violence in New Jersey.
"I think there are many more cases of gun violence within these communities," Spaulding said.
Simpson is the first-ever deputy chief Latina on the force.
"We want all the youth to focus on their education, to get a great job and just be productive citizens and to see they're taking the opposite route it's saddening," Simpson said.
As a solution, Commissioner Director Louis Cappelli Jr. announced the start of a gun violence prevention office.
"It's a daily fight," Cappelli said. Unfortunately, way too many young people are losing their lives."
One of those young people was Denise Spaulding's 21-year-old cousin who was shot just two weeks ago.
"It's impacted the whole family. His mother would have been here today with us, but she had to go to the hearing of the boy who killed her child," Spaulding said. "All I can say is we have to have hope, be kind and love each other."
The board of commissioners passed a concealed carry ban back in December, but leaders say more still needs to be done.
