Gun violence among kids worries parents
Residents meet to discuss concerns, hear about efforts to stop shootings, gang activity
Residents gathered at Foothill Community Church in Azusa this week to voice concerns over recent gun violence that parents fear is a sign gangs are encroaching on their youths.
Officials from the Azusa Unified School District, the Azusa Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department joined city officials Wednesday at a community update on efforts to improve safety, especially among Azusa's younger residents, following a shooting this month that killed a 16-year-old boy and injured his 13-year-old brother in an unincorporated county area near the city.
An 18-year-old woman and a 16-year-old boy were arrested a week later on suspicion of the shooting, which has been framed on social media as gangrelated, though police did not confirm that on Wednesday.
Three additional shootings have occurred in the past month — one that killed a driver on Dec.5, another that damaged three to four vehicles, and the most recent that left one man injured outside a liquor store in a drive-by shooting.
The city had nine shootings last year and 11 from January to Dec. 11 this year, said Azusa police Lt. Jake Bushey.
“We have had these meetings among our community before, and I would like to end the need for them,” said Mayor Robert Gonzales. “Don't ignore the signs, you know who your kids Azusa resident Roger Meza speaks as community members along with Azusa city officials, police and L.A. County sheriff personnel come together to discuss keeping the city of Azusa safe at Foothill Community Church in Azusa on Wednesday.