The head of the Springfield Chapter of the NAACP held a press conference at City Hall Plaza Wednesday afternoon to discuss the recent shooting death of a Springfield High School Student. The discussion ranged from gun control to better parenting.
The shooting death of 17-year-old student-athlete Jeffrey Wellington this week has shaken the community.
Springfield NAACP Chapter President, Denise Williams, told the crowd at City Hall that the gun violence has to stop and she recalled a saying used years ago aimed at parents who need to get more involved.
"It's 11 o'clock do you know where your children are? That's is what I want us to go back to. We need to get our children off the streets and get the guns out of their hands," Williams said.
Longtime Springfield resident and pastor, Robert Buford, was at the NAACP's conference. He believes that law enforcement and the community can be successful in the battle against violent crime.
"If I didn't believe it was winnable, honestly, then I wouldn't be here. You are talking to the father of one daughter and five sons," Buford said.
According to the NAACP, this is the sixth shooting death in the last two years in Springfield. The agency and Springfield police are working on initiatives to combat violent crime in the city.