TOLEDO, Ohio — A south Toledo pastor said he believes shootings are happening at an alarming rate, calling it a battle the city's youths are fighting too often.
On Sunday, Start High School freshman Royce Chatman, was shot and killed. He was about to turn 15 years old on April 5.
Pastor Randall Parker III with Canaan Manifested Word Church said he's devastated to hear about another child killed in the Toledo community.
"To know that another young child has lost their life, another parent has lost their child unnecessarily is absolutely gut-wrenching and there are no words to really comfort," Parker said.
As a Toledo native, leader, and father himself, he said it's enough.
"From my childhood to this moment, there are so many things that really have changed in a negative light. Even as sharing with my boys, as a father of two young men, there are things that I was able to do as a young child, that I'm protective of them even having the opportunity to do," Parker said.
He said it's because of all of the uncertainty that's happening in the streets.
"This generation is hurting. This generation is angry. And I found out that articulated pain that is not heard will soon become demonstrated pain that's seen, and so we have to be able to listen and hear the anger and the hurt that they feel," Parker said.
But, what does he feel needs to change in order for that to happen?
"We find an avenue in a way to really hear from this generation because at the end of the day, we can have all these great ideas, all these great plans but if they're not at the table, then is it really helping in assisting that generation come out of this storm; and this war actually," Parker said.
He said he believes it's everyone's problem and he wants to see a community effort to fix it, too.
Parker explained that it shouldn't just all fall on officials, but he believes all community leaders and family members should be involved when it comes to stopping gun violence.