DALLAS — Community supporters are rallying to support students and staff at South Oak Cliff High School, one day after two unrelated shootings near the campus.
“We are here in solidarity with the school,” said Rev. Donald Parish, Jr. Founder and CEO of the national mentoring organization A Steady Hand.
Community supporters said they are making their presence known intentionally.
“We’re here in solidarity with anybody from the community who wants to be a part of the solution,” Parish explained.
Violence interrupters with Dallas Cred showed up to the school on Thursday, as well as mentors from A Steady Hand. Officers from Dallas Police Department also showed a presence on and around the campus. All of the groups are concerned both off-campus shootings happened close to the school.
“We’re tired of candlelight vigils. We’re tired of balloon releases. We want to swim upstream and do what we can to stop the problem before it escalates to what we just experienced,” Parish added.
Parish is among community organizers stepping up and speaking out. They know some students witnessed a 14-year-old boy get shot across the street in South Oak Cliff Renaissance Park, as school was starting on Wednesday morning.
Hours earlier, police were busy at a nearby house on Fortune Lane where two women were shot during an alleged drug-related robbery. An 18-year-old, in that case, turned himself into police.
“Our kids are concerned. Our parents are concerned. Our educators are concerned,” said Dallas ISD Trustee Pastor Maxie Johnson.
He knows the impact of senseless gun violence on families. His son was murdered two blocks away from the school in 2019.
“We have to deal with social-emotional issues. That is an issue that’s very important, and we can’t ignore social-emotional issues,“ Johnson explained.
The Trustee said he’s asking Dallas Independent School District to provide increased security and more counseling services to the school.
Concerned residents like Linda Wynn are also speaking out.
“At some point in time, parents have got to be held accountable,” Wynn said.
Wynn is asking parents and city leaders to be more involved and in tune with community concerns.
“I said to the parents, these are your children. You brought them in this world and you are responsible for them. So, I’m going to ask, if you would, to take a tighter range on your children when they leave home," said Wynn.
As the shootings remain under investigation, community organizers said they will remain alert and accessible.