Four children shot in South Bend since March, advocates respond

 

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- A shooting in South Bend Tuesday leaves a young girl in critical condition and points to a disturbing trend in recent months. 

She is the fourth juvenile to be shot in South Bend since March and the only one that didn’t lose their life. At last check, she has improved and is in stable condition.

“It has to stop,” says Lynn Coleman, a Community Trauma Liaison and advocate against gun violence. 

Those four words continue to be echoed by the South Bend community after another child suffers from gun violence.  

“You never get used to it, and I hope we never do because when we do, it becomes acceptable and it’s not acceptable,” Coleman says. 

As a community trauma liaison, Coleman says it never gets easier consoling those families whose children wound up in front of the gun, like the family of Tuesday’s shooting victim. 

“I had an opportunity to be there today, to talk with mom, to talk with grandma, and see the emotion that mom and dad and grandmother and siblings were going through,” recalls Coleman. “The ripple effect of that goes on and on and on.”  

City leaders also recognize the issue, namely Henry Davis Jr. who represents the district where Tuesday's shooting happened. 

He’s pushing for the city to staff more violence interventionists, enhance police patrols, and add substations in problem neighborhoods.   

“The only way that we are able to deter some of this crime is through investment,” says Davis, 2nd District Common Councilman. 

The core of the problem, they both say, starts at home. 

“Parents have to be very intentional about guarding their children, loving their children, not just loving them face to face, but also making sure their environment is being productive and producing positive results from them,” Davis advises. 

“Encourage peace and love and respect to one another,” says Coleman. “Get rid of all this hatred and bitterness that we share.”  

The South Bend Police Violent Crimes Unit is investigating the shooting. 

Authorities say while the girl is in critical condition, she is stable.