Time to truly tackle violence

The recent shooting death of a 15-year-old boy and subsequent arrest of a 14-year-old boy have stunned Cedar Rapidians.

But the death of Aaron K. Richardson, who police say was shot near Redmond Park earlier this month, should not have come as a surprise.

All year, police have been responding to reports of gunshots being fired in Cedar Rapids neighborhoods. For months, they've said they believe some of those incidents were related to at least one ongoing dispute.

In fact, gun violence in Cedar Rapids, as in cities across the country, has been rising for years.

For years, we've seen vigils and pleas to 'stop the violence,” to no effect. That a young teen would be shot and killed in the midst of so much local gunfire cannot in good faith be called a surprise.

But it must be a call to action.

The formation of a new 'think tank” to address community violence could be one part of the solution, but the group's success will hinge on its ability to engage a broad range of community members, to get at the root causes of the violence and chart a course of effective action.

There already is ample research about street violence, guns and juvenile involvement. This situation calls for more than study that leads to a glossy report, unfurled at a news conference and then set aside to gather dust.

While the shooting did not take place during school time or on school property, we urge the Cedar Rapids Community School District to take an active leadership role. No institution within our city is better situated to connect with parents and students.

We urge police to think creatively about how to build relationships with victims, witnesses and community members who can help keep the peace and develop de-escalation strategies.

We urge social service groups and the city to be aggressive in pursuing grants to test or fully fund solutions.

We urge all residents and organizations to consider how they might help to turn this deadly tide of violence; to recognize this is a problem affecting the whole community, and that we all have a role to play in its resolution.

Allow this tragedy to erase the lines too often drawn between us. We are all Iowans, no matter whether we were born here or chose to make this place our home.

We must collectively work to protect all our children and create the safe, harmonious community that we all hope for and deserve.

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