KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Rosilyn Temple has spent approximately the last decade advocating against gun violence in Kansas City after her son Antonio was fatally shot in 2011.
She said it was ''about time'' for gun violence to be declared a public health crisis.
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy made the declaration on Tuesday.
Temple founded KC Mothers in Charge and dedicates her life to being there for parents who have lost a child to gun violence.
She goes to every homicide scene in Kansas City to support the victim's loved ones. It's what she says she needed at the time of her son's murder, which has yet to be solved.
"He's proud of me," Temple said of her son. "He told me before he died how proud he was of me."
Temple said her son lit up every room he walked into and that he was a trend setter.
She said since her son's death, gun violence has gotten worse in Kansas City.
"It definitely got worse here in Kansas City," she said. "The worst we got. We're killing babies, children, and they're killed by children. It has gotten worse than ever. I'm glad they're doing a declaration, but we've got to do something about it."
Melesa Johnson, director of public safety for KCMO, said the declaration will disperse resources.
"I am encouraged that this announcement, that this move, will make sure that we have more preventative data and research coming out of the federal government," she said.
Local data from the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department shows gun violence is the leading cause of homicides in the city.
The data also reveals arguments are the top contributing factor to the gun violence.
"We have people dying because of their shoe being stepped on, we have people dying because they were looked at wrong," Johnson said.
Gun violence in Kansas City often affects our youth.
Johnson and Temple believe conflict resolution starts at home.
"When you know your child is out of control, you can't do nothing with them, get them some help, turn them in, save their life or save someone else's life," Temple said.
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