TOLEDO, Ohio — Multiple Toledo City Council members made calls to action and offered condolences at Tuesday's council meeting for the victims of the shooting Friday at a Whitmer High School football game.
At-large council members Nick Komives and Katie Moline called on Council President Matt Cherry, who is also the chair of the Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform Committee, to hold a meeting regarding the shooting and continuing issue of gun violence in Toledo.
Moline said Toledoans are looking to local leaders because they feel unsafe.
"Go to any block watch meeting in this city, talk to community groups, talk to the leaders there," Moline said. "They're demanding leadership from their elected officials. We are those people."
Moline said block watch captains and community organizations should be invited to the meeting. She also said the committee should hold more public meetings with the leaders of the Save Our Community program, which aims to reduce violence in Toledo through efforts like violence interrupters.
"In 2022 we've only had three meetings of public safety, only one of which was an actual update from police and fire," she said. "That is not good enough. We need leadership, but where is the leadership on city council, especially of that committee, doing and saying during a safety crisis in our city?"
At-large council member Tiffany Whitman said the Toledo community is afraid and wants to know who the "changemakers" in the city are.
"We have to stay in tune with those who are working for change," Whitman said, referencing a quote from musician Morgan Harper Nichols.
Multiple council members said Toledoans should not have to fear violence against them. Beyond prayers and hoping "that it gets better," at-large council member George Sarantou said action is needed from the judiciary in the city of Toledo and Lucas County.
"It's all over Toledo, no neighborhood is exempt," he said. "And we've had dozens and dozens and dozens of shootings. And we sit here and we say let's pray, let's hope that it gets better. But it's not getting better."
Council member Theresa Morris, who represents District 6, said Whitmer High School's security protocols were strong Friday night and should be celebrated.
Cherry was not present at Tuesday's meeting. WTOL 11 reached out to Cherry Tuesday evening for his response to the council members' comments.
John Hobbs, who represents District 1, is the vice chair of the public safety and criminal justice reform committee. He was present at Tuesday's meeting but left before council members began talking about the Whitmer shooting.
Sarantou, Whitman, at-large council members Michele Grim, Cerssandra McPherson and District 4 representative Vanice Williams are also on the committee.