Seattle Urban League calls for counseling to help curb gang violence
SEATTLE. -- According to law enforcement officials, there are more than 5,000 active gang members in the city, 15 of whom have been killed this year.
The Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle has an answer: more counseling.
Twenty-one-year-old Brandon Wilkins was killed in SeaTac. His mother, June Adams, wears his childhood photo on her chest.
"My son didn't own a gun," she said. "He was playing a video game, sitting on a couch playing a game when a gun was put to his temple at point blank range. And it was over."
In the past year, 15 families have lost a loved one to gang violence. The Urban League says "gang violence" is not a fair label. For what it calls "community violence," the league says it needs more than police to come up with an answer."
The Urban League is launching Project Interruption, a partnership with Harborview Medical Center to interrupt the cycle of violence.
It will monitor the stress created by gang violence on survivors, families and friends, and offer them counseling.
"We're trying to deal with this issue, but it's going to take the whole community -- ministers, advocates, the city, as well as many of the counseling agencies who we are partnering with now in this project," said James with the Urban League.
Rev. Harvey Drake offers counseling for parents at his church, Emerald City Bible Fellowship. Drake's son survived what he calls a random drive-by shooting.
"We've got to be more involved. We have to be. It's not an option any more," he said.
Caela Palmer uses poetry to deal with the depression of reliving the same scenes every month. She has attended four funerals in the past year.
"My mind feared getting used to this treachery. This has to stop. This unwarranted, undeserved death must end. Please God, let not another fall," she said.
The Urban League is currently not asking for money, but is working to identify arts and counsel programs that work, and to make sure people who need them know where to find them.
The Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle has an answer: more counseling.
Twenty-one-year-old Brandon Wilkins was killed in SeaTac. His mother, June Adams, wears his childhood photo on her chest.
"My son didn't own a gun," she said. "He was playing a video game, sitting on a couch playing a game when a gun was put to his temple at point blank range. And it was over."
In the past year, 15 families have lost a loved one to gang violence. The Urban League says "gang violence" is not a fair label. For what it calls "community violence," the league says it needs more than police to come up with an answer."
The Urban League is launching Project Interruption, a partnership with Harborview Medical Center to interrupt the cycle of violence.
It will monitor the stress created by gang violence on survivors, families and friends, and offer them counseling.
"We're trying to deal with this issue, but it's going to take the whole community -- ministers, advocates, the city, as well as many of the counseling agencies who we are partnering with now in this project," said James with the Urban League.
Rev. Harvey Drake offers counseling for parents at his church, Emerald City Bible Fellowship. Drake's son survived what he calls a random drive-by shooting.
"We've got to be more involved. We have to be. It's not an option any more," he said.
Caela Palmer uses poetry to deal with the depression of reliving the same scenes every month. She has attended four funerals in the past year.
"My mind feared getting used to this treachery. This has to stop. This unwarranted, undeserved death must end. Please God, let not another fall," she said.
The Urban League is currently not asking for money, but is working to identify arts and counsel programs that work, and to make sure people who need them know where to find them.