LOS ANGELES — The city of Los Angeles is experiencing a surge in gun violence.
The LA Times reports the city is averaging about 27 shooting victims per week. The increase in violence is tearing families apart.
Gabriela Moreno lost her eldest son Edgar in a shooting one year ago. Her 9-year-old daughter Aimee lost her brother.
“We’re in this together remember,” said Moreno.
Moreno says she walked her son to the door to say goodbye before he started his graveyard shift. Then in the alley, as he got in his car, she remembers hearing gunshots. She called his name, but he didn’t respond.
“I just miss him so much, and it’s just caused so much trauma to my young daughter too, that she’s just scared when she hears an ambulance,” said Moreno.
Moreno had to move because the memory was too painful and her daughter was scared to leave the house.
They came back though to mark one year since his passing and send up a prayer for change.
“No guns, no guns because they took away my son,” said Moreno.
Gun violence in LA is reaching a fever pitch. Last month, LA Police Chief Michel Moore told the LA Police Commission there’s been a 50% increase in shooting victims this year compared to the same period last year.
Dr. Michael Rodriguez is not surprised. As a professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine who received more than half a million dollars to study shootings, he says last year gun sales leaped up and certain social programs that might help curb violence paused for the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Sometimes with uncertainty it brings a sense of fear and fear makes people want to do things that might make them safer at least that they perceive might make them safer,” said Rodriguez.
Now this family feels less safe. The music Edgar used to make has been taken away forever.
“Gun violence can hurt anyone who’s out there and that gun violence should stop,” said Moreno.
The increase in gun violence is all the more stark when you take into account that not all crimes are on the rise. The LAPD is keeping track, and according to the data, things like burglary and personal thefts are actually down compared to last year.