The City of Wichita and Wichita State University’s Diversity and Community Engagement office will host the Taking Action on Violence community meeting Thursday.
The event will allow the community to discuss concerns and solutions related to violent crime, says City Council member Brandon Johnson. Wichita has had 37 homicides so far this year.
“This will be an opportunity for us to come together, sit down at the table with both victims of violence, former gang members — people from different perspectives — to talk about what we can do as a community to help solve these issues,” Johnson said.
The event originally was scheduled for WSU's Hughes Metropolitan Complex. It has been moved to The Center, 1914 E. 11th St.
Wichita Police Department officers will be on hand to take questions. Johnson said the meeting will be the first of many to address the issue of violent crimes.
“This is not an issue that police can solve on their own,” Johnson said. “We’re all going to have to get involved in this.”
The meeting begins at 6 p.m.
Andrew Linnabary is an intern in the KMUW News Lab.