SC lawmakers and community leaders call for help in combatting gun violence

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — In 2019 alone, there were over a thousand gun deaths in South Carolina according to CDC data.

That number put the Palmetto State at 8th in the country for gun violence.

“Law enforcement cannot be alone in ushering in this change. It’s not just a law enforcement issue. It’s a community issue when gun violence is on the rise,” said Rep. Ivory Thigpen from Columbia.

According to the CDC, gun violence in South Carolina has risen by 42 percent since 2010, compared to a rise of 17 percent nationwide.

“We have to do more. We are in a pandemic, not just a health pandemic,” said Rep. Jermaine Johnson from Eastover. “We are in a crisis where we are losing too many of our people. It’s over for that.”

Johnson led a rally today speaking out against gun violence with several of his colleagues.

“This is becoming an increasingly difficult problem and we are seeing it even in the most rural parts of our state,” said Rep. Wendy Brawley from Sumter.

The representatives are asking for 1 percent of funding from the federal American Rescue Plan to go towards gun violence prevention.

“While money isn’t always the cure, money in this instance will help educate and protect,” Brawley said. “It’s also about the law we pass in this building behind me.”

The lawmakers present today are for laws that require a person to report a stolen gun and limit possession of assault weapons. They are also against the new South Carolina open carry law as are some members of law enforcement.

“We need action to provide programs and initiatives that decriminalize adolescence behavior and mental health and that provide youth programs in our communities that allow our youth to have the services and support they need to stay off the streets and stay safe,” said Chief Chris Cowan of the Cayce Police Department

One of these programs, Sowing Seeds into the Midlands, is a Columbia based non-profit that provides support for teens.

“Most of them live below the poverty line and are facing a multitude of disparities like food insecurity, inadequate housing and unmet social and emotional needs,” said Zakiya Esper, founder of Sowing Seeds. “Seeds creates spaces for this specific group of people that are often overlooked and left to their own devices.”

One lawmaker from Charleston says that the funding for gun violence prevention is more important than some of the other projects that the state has funded. She told those who share her concerns to contact their elected officials.

“We have got to stop eating dessert before we have dinner and take care of the needs of our citizens,” said Rep. Krystle Matthews from Charleston. “We cannot thrive if we start putting our wants before our needs.”