A silent vigil organized to protest gun violence in Reading erupted into emotional outbursts Monday night after participants learned of another shooting in City Park.
The vigil, organized on social media by community activist Radarra McLendon, took place during City Council’s committee of the whole meeting. Participants initially sat quietly holding signs calling for an end to gun violence.
But tensions escalated when a member of the group showed others a social media post reporting a shooting in City Park earlier that evening.
Police are investigating a shooting that left one man hurt about 5 p.m. Monday night near the basketball courts
“People just were so upset,” City Managing Director Jack Gombach said in an interview Tuesday, noting the group had intended the gathering to be peaceful. “Here they were holding up signs saying ‘Stop gun violence’ and then there’s another shooting.”
Several participants began shouting at council members and demanding action from city officials.
Council President Donna Reed called a 10-minute recess to allow tensions to cool before the meeting resumed.
During the recess, council members Jaime Baez Jr. and Melissa Ventura agreed to meet informally with members of the group after official business concluded.
Because Pennsylvania’s Sunshine Act limits private gatherings involving a quorum of elected officials, Reed and Councilman Rafael Nunez alternated seats at the table during the discussion to remain in compliance with the law.
What followed was a wide-ranging and emotional conversation about youth violence, parenting, community responsibility and the role local government should play in addressing growing concerns about public safety.
“It’s like a cancer all over the U.S. when it comes to gun violence and killing and just violence in general,” Baez said. “I do want to hear what you think are the solutions.”
Baez emphasized that City Council’s role is legislative.
“What we do is we enact laws,” he said. “So if you have ideas of laws, or you have ideas of resolutions, we can bring that forth.”
He added that part of a council member’s responsibility is being in the community, learning what the community needs and wants and advocating for the residents.
Residents and activists, several associated with different grassroots groups, repeatedly stressed that addressing violence requires more than policing alone.
Reading resident Lisberry Almanzar Sanchez of Digniway, an organization focused on dignity for all, urged the community to look inward rather than place blame solely on government agencies.
“This is a community,” she said. “It is everyone’s responsibility to show up, so it starts at home. Discipline starts at home. These are our children. We’re not just blaming government, we’re not just blaming parents, we’re not blaming schools, we’re not just blaming social media.”
Gombach said city officials recognize the frustration and grief many residents are experiencing.
“I think it reflects a very real and raw pain in our community in the wake of these tragic incidences,” he said.
He said the city is working to develop a broader youth violence prevention strategy focused particularly on children ages 11 to 15, an age group officials say has shown increasing involvement in youth-related incidents.
The city is preparing a request for proposals to hire a consultant to help create a community-based violence prevention strategy, Gombach said.
Officials had explored applying for a Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency planning grant but were not prepared in time for this year’s application window, he said.
Those grants provide state and federal funding to schools, nonprofits and local governments working on public safety initiatives, violence prevention and justice system improvements.
Gombach said the city hopes any long-term strategy will involve schools, nonprofits, grassroots organizations, parents and young people themselves.
“There are plenty of resources, but we ought to get on the same page on how we respond to these incidents,” he said. “We have to look at it in its totality.”
Amanda Archeval, 18, of Reading and several younger attendees argued that the city also needs more recreational opportunities and safe gathering spaces for youth.
The cost of many recreational activities puts them out of reach for many families and youths, she said.
Gombach acknowledged that even when programs exist, transportation costs, participation fees and ineffective communication can create barriers for youth and families.
Participants and officials agreed that no single institution can solve the problem alone and that continued community involvement is needed moving forward.