INDIANAPOLIS — In the last week, Indianapolis has seen four kids die from gun violence.
One of the victims was a 17-year-old killed on Indy’s west side this weekend. “It was about 1:45 and I thought a rock hit my window and I looked outside, and I saw gunfire,” Daniels said.
Malynthia Daniels says she had to hold her kids tight when the gun shots were going off near her home. When she woke up, she noticed the bullet hole in her window.
“Me and my kids got down – and we waited until it stopped and waited for the cops to come, and I looked outside, and I saw the bullet hole,” Daniels said.
Police say the shooting Sunday morning left 17-year-old Luis Garcia dead. Police data shows another 17-year-old listed as a potential suspect. Neighbors claim a party was going on at the time of the shooting.
“I just pray that all of these kids stop buying guns and focus on going to school because ya’ll are losing your lives and then your moms are out here crying. they don’t know what they are doing on the streets,” Daniels told WRTV.
Garcia’s death marks at least the 19th kid under the age of 18 to be killed by gun violence this year.
“Just stay focused – stop hanging around with the wrong people – too many young people losing their lives,” Daniels added.
It’s a number that organizations like the Marion County Commission on Youthare trying to change. Last week more than 25 local groups signed a letterfor stricter gun laws.
It comes after a mass shooting that left a 16-year-old dead and 9 others injured.
"We believe stronger gun laws can save lives – that’s why we signed onto the letter because the letter calls for specific polices that will make sure we are keeping guns out of the hands of people who ought to not have their hands wrapped around a gun,” President John Brandon said.
The organizations are calling on lawmakers to:
- remove the state’s preemption of local gun laws, to allow cities and counties to create stricter regulations
- repeal the state’s recently enacted permitless carry law
- require background checks for gun sales at gun shows, on the internet, or between private individuals
- increase the minimum age to purchase & possess firearms
- enact child access prevention and safe storage laws.
“It should have not taken a mass shooting to come to this,” Brandon concluded.
