‘Violence, interrupted’: Allentown man’s mentorship offers chance to pick up phone, not guns | Lehigh Valley Regional News

ALLENTOWN, Pa. – CeaseFirePA Education Fund is sharing stories of people who stop shootings before they happen, through its “Violence, Interrupted” storytelling campaign. One of those stories come from Promise Neighborhoods of the Lehigh Valley.

Michael Richardson, a violence interrupter and ambassador for Promise Neighborhoods of the Lehigh Valley, works every day to stop gun violence by helping individuals in their own backyards.   

“We had been working with Bobby probably for like, man, probably for like five or six years now,” Richardson said of a man he had met through his efforts.

Richardson said Bobby faced some struggles and got involved in a heated conflict where he wanted to turn to gun violence. Before he did, though, Bobby picked up the phone to call Richardson.

 “I could tell from the call that he was ready to act, give in to the peer pressure that was around him,” Richardson said. “And so I just listened. When he was finished, you know, I just asked him, I’m like, ‘You got a daughter, my man.’ I said, ‘I got a daughter. I know what it feels like.’ So I was like, ‘You got a brand new daughter.’”

“So you know, me and Bobby kicked it for a little,” Richardson said. “He said, ‘You know, thank you for being there to have someone to talk to.’”

Through mentorship, Richardson was able to prevent what could have turned deadly.

Now, his efforts are being highlighted through CeaseFirePA Education Fund’s “Violence, Interrupted” campaign.

“For the last five years, amazing community outreach workers have stopped and worked with high-risk individuals to deescalate, redirect, and prevent conflict before someone dies,” said Adam Garber, CEO, CeaseFirePA.

Garber said gun homicides have dropped 53% statewide in the last five years.

“That’s because of the work of groups like Promise Neighborhoods of the Lehigh Valley,” he said.

 According to CeaseFirePA, since 2021, the state has invested nearly $400 million in violence prevention initiatives to connect communities with resources to make them safer.

“All of that work is community violence intervention, and all of that work over the past few years has saved thousands of lives, Garber said. 

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