KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — After three teens died due to gun violence in three weeks in Knoxville, community members gathered at the Change Center to demand action Friday night. It was for the Community Sound Off Meeting hosted by WJBE.
There was a line of people outside of the building, because of the building's capacity limit due to COVID-19 restrictions. Mothers, students and average community members stopped by speak during the event. Some mothers also lost children to gun violence, and some students attended the same school as the teens.
One woman said that the solution to gun violence in the community shouldn't be to create new programs and initiatives. She said that the current foundation supporting the community needs to be stronger.
"The foundation's there, and we just have to acknowledge that it's there for us to utilize in any way that we need to reform it," said Demecia Munsey, who attended the event. "It's flexible, and it works around whatever we need to do when we need to do it."
The Austin-East High School assistant principal was also there. He emphasized that community members should be lifted up as they grieve, especially teachers and students at the school.