On a night of celebration, two of our children, only 15 and 16 years old, were gunned down in the center of our city.
Five other young people were shot in the gunfight near the corner of Washington and Illinois streets. And now, four teenagers, one only 13, have been charged with carrying guns in downtown on the night of this most recent mass shooting.
My heart breaks as a pastor and nonprofit leader who has invested three decades into praying with, counseling, mentoring and educating teens and children on the near Eastside of Indianapolis.
We celebrate with the many young people who have overcome deep trauma and enormous obstacles to succeed in school and thrive later in life. We also too often grieve with families after sudden and senseless violence erupted, as it did once again early on July 5.
What do we do now as a city and a community? How should churches, ministries and other nonprofit organizations respond to the fact that hundreds of teens, some with guns, were prowling downtown streets long after midnight? How can we, as individuals, help prevent other children in our city from engaging in or falling victim to violence?
City leaders have already announced plans for stricter enforcement of the curfew for teens. That’s necessary, and past due.
Even more important is the message that Indianapolis Police Chief Chris Bailey sent to parents and guardians in the immediate aftermath of the July 5 shooting: “This kind of violence downtown or in any of our neighborhoods is completely unacceptable and unnecessary. Hundreds of unsupervised kids down here … I don’t know how many times I have to say it — we are not your children’s keepers! You are! And parents and guardians have got to step up. A kid is dead tonight, and we just don’t know the age of the young man down the street … still here, dead.”
“I’m tired of it,” Bailey added.
We all should be. Yet, we also must press harder than ever — and pray harder than ever — to bring lasting change in our city.
Here are steps all of us, but especially those of in ministry and nonprofit leadership, must take for the sake of our children and our city:
Support our police: The frustration in Bailey’s voice during his crime scene press conference on July 5 was evident and understandable. Bailey is far from the only Indianapolis police officer frustrated by the level of violence they regularly confront and the lack of support they too often must face in the community.
I’m honored to call our city’s police officers neighbors and friends. They rushed to serve when shots were fired on July 5. Yet, they often are disrespected, mocked and condemned even while they save lives and restore peace. That must change, and the change should start with those of us in leadership sending a clear message that we respect and support our police.
Mentor our children: At Shepherd, we educate, counsel and mentor hundreds of children each year. We know young lives are being transformed and even saved, and we have the data to prove it. Other nonprofits and ministries are doing the same.
All of us need the support of volunteers, partners and donors to serve our families well. Don’t let your outrage over the loss of two more young lives fade. Turn it into action. That can include serving as a mentor for a child or teen in our city. If you’re a business owner or corporate executive, it can include partnering with Shepherd or other organizations to bolster the help we provide children and families in our city.
Invest in our community: We live in a culture that encourages isolation. We doom scroll and binge-watch behind locked doors and closed blinds. But isolation isn’t healthy for us as individuals or for our community as a whole. We were created to be in relationship with, and even dependent on, one another. So, my encouragement and plea for each of us is to invest in our community with our time and service. Help at the food pantry in your neighborhood. Read to a child at a nearby elementary. Lend your talent and experience to a nonprofit or ministry. Invest in someone else’s life.
We do not have to accept the violent end of young lives in our city. We should not shake our heads and say things will never change.
Change, however, requires support, investment and action throughout our community. Please help. Our children need you.
Jay Height is the executive director of Shepherd Community Center in Indianapolis.
