HOUSTON — Community members in the Gulfton area joined forces with local law enforcement, city and county leaders Saturday to take back the streets.
Dozens came out to the “march against violent crime” held in southwest Houston Saturday.
The effort is led by council member Edward Pollard and aims to address the recent uptick in violent crime in the Gulfton area and across the city.
It’s an issue community activist Tammy Rodriguez has been fighting for decades. Rodriguez helped organize the grassroots effort.
"You will see that there are shootings, what saddens me the most is the domestic violence,” she said.
The march started at Benavidez Elementary school in Southwest Houston and ended at Burnett Bayland Park.
Rodriguez said their hope is to spread awareness that fighting violent crime takes a community effort.
"If you see something, say something just trying to get residents more involved trying to combat the crime, calling tips, calling police," she said.
Several families of the victims of violent crimes attended the March.
Among them was Paul Castro, whose son David was killed in an apparent road rage shooting last July.
"Sadly, there's enough victims right now in Houston, especially victims, whose surviving family members of children who have been shot and some cases murdered, that’s why we have to come together, we have to come together with one voice,” he said.
Castro said he’s has been in constant communication with the families of other victims of violent crimes, like Arlene Alvarez and Ashanti Grant.
"We don’t want any other parent to suffer what we’re suffering," he said.
Rodriguez says the support of Mayor Turner’s $45-million-dollar, Safe One Initiative to end violent crime is a good start.
She said the only way we are going to see tangible change is through unity and education.
"We’re trying to get that solidary and support it's time for the community to step up too, they can't do it by themselves."