JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — After a violent weekend in Jacksonville, state leaders announced on Monday several short term solutions to reduce crime and gun violence.
"Now is the time to stop the crime that is plaguing our City," State Representative Tracie Davis said. "Because our residents of Jacksonville deserve better and our children need us, hashtag enough is enough."
Davis, along with Senator Audrey Gibson, D-Jacksonville, pastors, mothers of murdered kids, and concerned residents gathered at Elizabeth Powell Park where a 24-year old man and a 14-year-old boy died last week by gun violence.
"So we want to offer solutions for today, not solutions for March, after March 19, not solutions for April, not solutions for May, we need solutions right now that need to be implemented," Gibson said.
She added that its time to declare a state of urgency. Some of the solutions included calling on the City Council to release funding for after-school programs as well as calling on the governor to bring in State Troopers and possibly the National Guard to help patrol the city streets.
Gibson also stood by the idea of implementing a stricter curfew.
“Not just for minors, we need a curfew period, we are in a crisis, we are in a state of urgency emergency today," she said.
Local community activist Ben Frazier of the Northside Coalitisaid there is a need for Cease fire campaign along with tougher gun control laws. "We are asking local and state representatives, lawmakers to create new policies to reduce the availability of guns on the streets," Frazier said.
Senator Gibson said her next step is to write a letter to Mayor Lenny Curry, the governor, and the sheriff.
Later this week pastors and churches of different denominations are planning to come together for a community faith summit at 6 p.m. Thursday, at Mt. Sinai Baptist Church, 2036 Silver Street, Jacksonville, Fl.