Emanuel urges residents to take back the streets after Kevin Diaz, 14, fatally shot
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Mayor Rahm Emanuel kicked off a city-wide anti-violence movement on Friday, less than 24 hours after a 14-year-old boy was shot and killed on Chicago's Southwest Side.
Chicago has been rocked by violence during past Memorial Day weekends, and so the mayor's office - in an effort to get ahead of the problem - enlisted the help Friday night of community and religious leaders.
"It's very clear, and I want the city to speak, especially before the holiday weekend, with one voice: Put the guns down," said Mayor Emanuel.
Earlier Friday, the mayor was at another event in Woodlawn. The South Shore Drill Team rallied the crowd on this Memorial Day weekend, which included Vietnam War veteran James Alfred.
"War is hell. Street war is social," said Alfred. "Give a man and a woman something to do then, hey, they wouldn't be out on the streets."
"It's my community. I live in my community, and I believe I should walk in a means in my community regardless of gang brutality and gang negativity," said Brian Geiger, Washington Park resident.
The summer-long events may include neighborhood clean-ups, barbeques, rallies and prayer groups. Emanuel hopes this will help people take back the streets and create peace.
"We are hoping to partner with 1,000 other churches in the city to stand against violence. We all know that violence is an epidemic in our city, and we are joining with the community to let the community know that we are not apart from them, but we are standing with them to end the violence here in Chicago," said Jermaine Anderson, community organizer.
City Hall's effort to coordinate a sustained approach to safety and comes in the wake of yet another senseless death of the young Chicagoan. Kevin Diaz, 14, was shot three times in the chest last night around 10:15 p.m. in the 6400 block of South Francisco.
"We're going to keep taking back the streets. We're going to let the gang members know and those who aren't wanted in our community," said Sgt. Yolanda Iriving, CAPS coordinator, Chicago Police Department.
"Our goal as a city, my goal as the mayor, is to bring people together to have a common purpose. We do it around a number of things. Let us do it around ending the violence in our city," said Mayor Emanuel.
The mayor's office says in total, there were nearly 200 anti-violence events across the city.
Over the past two Memorial Day weekends, there have been a combined 57 shootings in the city resulting in at least 16 deaths. Community leaders hope Friday night's events make a difference.
Police investigate fatal shooting of boy, 14, in Chicago Lawn
As political and community leaders pleaded to stop the violence, Chicago police searched Friday for the gunman who shot and killed a 14-year-old boy in the 6400-block of South Francisco Avenue.
Authorities said Kevin Diaz was shot in the chest three times around 10:15 p.m. Thursday. The boy was pronounced dead at the scene in Chicago Lawn around 30 minutes later.
The victim's family sobbed as forensics technicians examined the crime scene. Diaz's family said he was a good kid and was a respectful child who didn't deserve to be gunned down in the street. They said he dropped out of school recently and was dealing with the shooting death of a close friend.
Police are not releasing many details. No one is in custody.
