We begin the news of five
with a call to action.
What are we as a community doino
protect our kids from gun viole?
Thank you for being here
with the some Lorenzo Hall.
I'm Leslie Foster and clearly
not enough right now.
Two families are in pain in our community.
This week in the district,
two young people lost their livs
all at the pull of a trigger.
Yeah, we shared this heartbreakg
update with you last night at 1.
O'clock ten year old Ariana Davis has died.
She was shot, hit by a stray but
while riding in the backseat ofa
car with her family on Mother's.
And that news came just hours after 17
year old Jefferson Perez was shot and
killed just outside of his high school.
Yeah, and we also told you aboua
third child, a 12 year old girl who was
shot in the leg while at home id
at around 4:00 AM Monday in Southeast
DC Thankfully, she will survive,
but will of course be scarred physically
and emotionally for years to come and
the whole family really.
And so clearly something needs to be done.
And that is the question. Dilia ganza.
Is asking DC leaders tonight.
Delia joins us now live outside
of Roosevelt High School.
Dee, did you get some answers t?
You know the mayor you could see
had a little bit of weight on her shoulders.
I mean certainly dealing with all of this
incredible violence and heartbreaking news.
But I am hearing from folks inse
her office that when she heard
that 10 year old Ariana had pas.
She was simply heartbroken, as you know,
the mayor, a mother herself,
and when I asked her, she pause,
shook her head and just said I have no words,
so certainly she is feeling the weight.
Of these children losing their
lives and these parents and
families searching for answers.
So here outside of Roosevelt High School,
it was indeed a heavy day
for many of these students.
Earlier today, just hours ago,
I saw police, several police cruisers,
outside, officers making sure tt
everyone was safe during dismissal just
one day after their classmate was killed.
The mayor at this point saying
everyone who lives in this city.
He needs to take a stand,
the end of a difficult day at school for
many of these kids after losing a classmate,
relatives tell a 17 year old,
Jefferson Perez had been getting into
fights with gang members recent.
Wednesday he was killed in the parking lot.
A school resource officer was on
scene but could not stop the shooting.
We know for example, that school had not
been dismissed and kids were in,
but some kids including him came outside
and so I think that we need to ,
we'll have more to say about th.
Is there a gang problem in DC?
We we're hearing that there wase
gang activity in that particular area
that could have led to this young boy.
Really. I don't want to get in d
of the police and the investiga,
but I think they'll have more
to say about it.
Police tell us the investigation is ongoing.
Meanwhile, Mayor Bowser fields questions
about the violence taking our young people,
including ten year old Arianna Davis.
There's nothing really.
Words can't express how,
how tragic it is.
Baby girl just in a car,
just living her life.
We have to have a city
that says enough is enough.
We won't tolerate people using
guns and killing our children.
And I've said it in every way
that I know how. Having someone
inside the schools to sit there
and just be a friend to the kid.
Meanwhile, outside of Roosevelt,
I ran into Curly Hall, a returng
citizen now working to support
young people and their families.
The use of lashing out.
They're lashing out from the lak
of attention they are getting.
And back here live at Roosevelth
School just about half a block ,
I see a sign that was just
posted by some community members
that says we love Roosevelt.
You are not alone.
The mayor again asking for evere
to lean in and support each oth.
So right now she is asking and urging
DC Council to pass her crime bi.
So I reached out to some council members,
including Brooke Pinto who tell.
She's working with her team to find the
earliest possible date to take up that bill,
while also allowing the chance
for the public to weigh in.
The chairman of the council,
Phil Mendelsohn, says, quote,
it's unreasonable for the mayor to put
pressure on the council becausee
bill can't go to the public until June.
But as folks say,
they may be feeling pressure,
but these families are losing
their children less, though,
you know it's so much and it.
There's so much that goes into .
It's complicated.
It's not as simple as it may se,
because every situation is different.
But I wonder what would happen ,
if people who live in the city,
all of us who are invested in wanting
our children to be able to thrive and
for our communities to be vibra,
put our arms around some of thee
kids before these things happen,
so that we can show them something different,
something different,
not until after something like ,
but before, right? Do you thank.