Marion County prosecutor to attend gun violence community discussions
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears will attend two community conversations about reducing gun violence Wednesday in recognition of June as Gun Violence Awareness Month.
His office says the meetings are focused on exploring the issues and solutions surrounding gun violence and supporting survivors in our community.
He will be joined by Pastor Wayne Moore and Indianapolis mother DeAndra Dycus at Olivet Missionary Baptist Church (4141 N. High School Rd. 46254). The first session is from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and the second is from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Dycus made headlines in 2020 after speaking at the Democratic National Convention. She shared the story of her son who was 13 when he was shot at a birthday party on the northwest side of Indianapolis. He lost his voice and is paralyzed as a result. Dycus leads her nonprofit called Purpose 4 My Pain.
“I appreciate Pastor Moore convening the community for this conversation. Mrs. Dycus has taken her own family’s experience with gun violence and become a strong advocate for others who are impacted,” Prosecutor Mears said in a statement. “While the solutions to the complex challenges that have led to gun violence will take time, we can act now to help survivors and families find justice and the support that they need.”
So far this year, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department is reporting 117 homicides. The current pace is similar to last year’s when the city saw an all-time high of more than 250 criminal homicides.
Nationally, last weekend the country saw 10 mass shootings that killed seven people and injured at least 45 others, according to data from CNN and the Gun Violence Archive. The archives considers a mass shooting a shooting incident where four or more people are shot, not including the shooter.
