BALTIMORE — With the summer in full swing, the city is focusing on ways to reduce youth violence.
On Friday, the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City kicked off its series of summer pop events with a Stop the Violence concert.
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“We want to be representative for our children to show them that we want to stop the violence in our city so why not bring them out to have a good time,” said parent Michael Foy.
The anti-violence event is a part of the state’s attorney office’s BMore Pop Up series that started in 2017.
“We’re really just trying to encourage the young people to stop the violence and stay productive,” said State’s attorney Marilyn Mosby.
Mosby said it’s important to hold community events like this, citing an increase in youth violence during the summer.
“Our young people can be out doing something unproductive or they can be off the streets going bowling, doing skate night, laser tag, that’s what we attempted to do for the past six years. That’s what we’ll continue to do,” she said
David Mitchell, 15, believes positive events like the concert can help reduce youth violence
He’s encouraging other teens to attend.
“It’s a problem that needs to be stopped, he said. “People in the streets be affecting kids to do stuff but if a younger kid is here there is nobody they can affect to do stuff.”
The BMore Pop Up series will continue throughout the summer for 14 straight weeks on Friday between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.
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