Yesterday, a young man drove to a supermarket in Buffalo specifically to kill Black people, and ten families have now had loved ones taken from them. In New Boston, New Hampshire, we only know that a police officer fatally shot someone overnight near the Space Force Station there, but have no other information at this time. Here in Boston, we still know very little about a call for Boston police to respond to a person screaming that resulted in a police officer being stabbed and another person shot dead by an officer. All of us at the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the victims and recognize that every act of violence causes harm to the wider community. Every homicide leaves behind survivors whose pain and grief endures long after the world has moved on. For every homicide victim, there are at least ten immediate family members impacted. Even when homicide rates decline, the survivor rate increases daily.
As leaders call out for changes to gun policy, LDBPI CEO and Founder Cementina Chéry pursues a more comprehensive approach to “transforming the narrative of gun violence so that the focus is not solely on the gun, for the gun is a weapon of choice.” According to Chéry, “People are hurting. People are dying; we’re in pain. We absolutely must deal with the aftermath and help people to heal. So as we begin to transform the narrative of gun violence, and put attention and resources to what the researchers say needs to happen, investing in prevention beforehand and in healing afterward, that’s when we will really see transformation – especially within communities of color – that’s sustainable.”
We grieve with families dealing with an unimaginable sense of loss. And, we stand ready to guide families in the right direction for services to help bury their loved ones with dignity and respect.
If you have experienced the murder of a loved one, you deserve to be supported with dignity and compassion, regardless of the circumstances. The Louis D. Brown Peace Institute’s mission is to serve as a center of Healing, Teaching, and Learning for families and communities impacted by murder, trauma, grief, and loss. We are an integral partner to the City of Boston and have developed best practices and homicide response toolkits in serving families and communities impacted by murder for 28 years. We offer resources to families seeking support. Learn more at https://www.ldbpeaceinstitute.org/ or call 617-825-1917.