Baton Rouge leaders address concerns about gun violence at seminar

BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — A seminar was held over the weekend to educate Baton Rouge families about gun safety.

“Every family member that has been impacted by gun violence, whether your child left here by gun violence, whether they left here by a car accident, whether they left here by suicide, whether they left here by a drug overdose. it doesn’t matter, the pain is still real,” said Linda Smith, founder of The Great Exchange Foundation.

Smith lost four of her sons, under the age of 40, all from criminal acts. Smith said people need to think rationally before responding to any situation.

“The young people that are getting these guns, just think, if they could just think before they respond to any negativity that they should know that not only their lives are being destroyed, but they are destroying families,” Smith said.

With gun violence being so prevalent in Baton Rouge, local leaders voiced their concerns by delivering one important message, “Put the guns down.”

“They need to put down the guns. We are a community of faith that we have to reach out and offer a response to those who are hurting,” Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome said.

Community leaders talked about gun violence and victim assistance, but they say they need the help of the community.

“If you see something, say something. Society, we need you. We’re out here policing, and we’re keeping the streets safe. But we need the community’s help,” said BRPD Deputy Chief Darren Moses.

“I think one of the greatest places for that outreach to start is within the faith community and extend out to the people of the community,” Broome said.