Gun Violence Grows in York

by Katie Garcia-Alcala

People never want to feel as if they are unsafe in their own homes. Parents always tell their children to “Lock the doors, close your windows, stay inside, and don’t open the door to anyone you don’t know.” People are supposed to be safe in their own homes, but what is to say that the violence happening outside, can’t come inside what we think is a safe place?

Twenty year old Shandon M. Garner was walking down East Philadelphia Street street in York, when he heard a chorus of gunshots near by. He was injured once, receiving a gunshot wound in the arm. He also suffered of a shrapnel wound in his chest. Since that night, police have made nine criminal arrests, served 11 warrants, made 32 probation visits and issued 11 traffic citations as part of the effort to stop gun violence.

Group Violence Interventions program was set up to monitor gun violence in York from 2016 to 2017 which was “cut in half” as the police said. The program targeted not only the individuals pulling the triggers but also the groups those people might run with to cause that violence. According to the GVI their “…involvement isn’t just in the form of consequences… It’s also designed to prevent crime when possible.” Their goal is not only to catch those who are doing harm, but also try to prevent more people from doing harm and make sure that those they have caught, do not go back to their criminal lives.

Since 2017, the number in fatalities have gone up.  There have been 16 deaths from the 33 shootings that have happened since then. What is also interesting is that from 2017, close to half of the homicides involved minors.  What the GVI is attempting to do is work with partners in school to try and have weekly meetings targeting the violence surrounding juveniles.

All that can be hoped for now is to educate the young people of today and hope that a better tomorrow is right around the corner. Students in York Suburban like Luna Ulysse say that “…taking time out of the school day and having meetings is very important.” Katie Branch says that for the law that are already implemented, there needs to be “more enforcement of those laws.” What is clear is that something needs to be done and soon.