KANSAS CITY — As 16-year-old shooting victim Ralph Yarl’s family spoke with prosecutors this afternoon, families and communities are talking about last week’s events.
“It’s sad, but it’s also frustrating that something like that could even happen in 2023," said Jeffrey Davis, president of 100 Black Men of Greater Kansas City. "We should be living in a better time."
Over the weekend, the community organized a protest, faith leaders pushed for charges and Tuesday afternoon deputies made an arrest.
As this situation continues to move forward, community leaders are looking out for the future of the Kansas City area to rebuild what was lost Thursday night.
Davis said the children he works with are desensitized to shootings and violence on their phones every day, hearing about shootings and violence against people just like them.
“You want everything to be pleasant and happy for children, but the reality is put in front of us every day, every second,” Davis said. “What I find is that there is a hopelessness that the kids have. They have a lackadaisical, well it doesn’t really matter it is what it is. That’s the unfortunate thing.”
Davis said despite disinterest in some kids, parents and mentors should push to have important conversations.
“Unfortunately, human beings have a habit of repeating and as the saying goes, if you don’t learn the lesson you are bound to repeat it,” he said. “We need to start learning and move forward instead of continuing to repeat the same cycles.”
On a larger scale, faith leaders who are working closely with prosecutors and police said they have a plan to repair relationships.
“We will be having ongoing discussions and ongoing meetings. We are looking to have community conversations,” said pastor Darron Edwards. “How do what has happened in Clay County, happened in Platte County and of course in Jackson County so that we can really bridge these things together and become one Kansas City.”
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