PEORIA, Ill. – A group of mothers — all of whom have lost children to gun violence in Central Illinois — are looking to take guns off the streets, by buying them back.
An anonymous donor has given them money to do a gun buy-back at several locations in Peoria Saturday, May 7.
Stacy Johnson-King’s 33-year-old son Percy was killed about two years ago, and it’s still not known who did it.
“Him being an unsolved murder — maybe one of the guns that are on the streets could help solve his murder. So, that’s why I’m supporting this,” said Johnson-King.
Other mothers echo those sentiments. Tomeka Love’s 17-year-old son, Kanye Stowers of Peoria, was recently killed during a shooting in Bloomington.
“We’re tired. We’re tired of not getting answers,” said Love. “We’re tired of not getting the people who have killed our kids. Justice. And, we’re not going to stop. This is just the beginning.”
Peoria Police Chief Eric Echevarria supports the effort, believing that anything that can help reduce crime should be tried.
“It’s just one tool in a toolbox of many things, between the Anti-Violence Initiative, our continual meetings with the women, meetings with the clergy, our Walk-and-Talks in the community,” said Echevarria. “It’s continued engagement, but using new, innovative tools, and figuring out what else we can do.”
Following the gun buyback effort on May 7, a group of mothers will march from the former Taft Homes to the Joe Buckley Memorial at the Riverplex.
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