Gun violence was the topic of discussion in Rochester High School’s Little Theater last night with about 80 persons in attendance, including District Attorney David Lozier. Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano was also there. She reports that Lozier said an open discussion meeting was organized for the event about the ongoing violence in the county The district attorney said the violence effects every town in the county.Anthony Thomas, originally from California told the group he was robbed, at gunpoint several times, and was arrested for drug trafficking sent to prison and was” in the hole” for 15 months He was facing a life sentence for the charges His comment to the crowd was”We need to get a center to educate the kids , there a lot of senseless murders. He said he missed a lot of things because of his selfish ways. he added that prison isn’t somewhere nobody wants to be.”‘ Brian Gillborn was shot leaving a bar and is now confined to a wheelchair because he is crippled . Jerome Riggins said he lost his brother and friends due to gun violence , his mom Ursula also addressed the crowd. Jeanine Cleckley lost her son 4 years ago, was shot in the back and died, he left behind to young daughters, she said , and it’s hard being around them, because they look like him. She told the group gun violence isn’t the answer.”‘ :We need to get together and figure it out, if there is a way I can help, I will”” Pastor Larry Vreen of Word of Life Church in Monaca said”We need resources to navigate this violent environment.””Randy Bacon, a Rochester native, now living in Harrisburg , said Beaver County is not the same , it needs to get back to being a community.” Sandy Gill, Aliquippa School Board member that leads a group of girls called the DREAMERS. She told the group that she and her committee instill self worth in the girls grade school to high school. Gill told the group that 5 of the members will graduate college. She worked at the jail and is very involved volunteering , what we teach in the homes, teach it in the streets. Ursula Riggins, also of Aliquippa said “We need a community based group for parents.””Her son was also killed because of gun violence, it’s a now win situation, she said.Kids are locked up with adult prisoners., I can’t get mad at the police. “We’ve got a God that gives us a second chance.”” Joellen Character discussed Amercore, a group that connects the school and community . She is a community liaison.”We’re here to help”. Rick Hacker, Rochester’s school resource officer , said “I hope I can guide and mentor some of these kids” Rochester Twp. police officer, Sam Piccininni, who also worked in the boro as an officer for over 25 years said the hardest thing he had to do is to go” and tell a parent their child is dead.””
