Mass shootings and urban violence account for children affected by gun violence in NOLA

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - Children lost to gun violence left the country in pain. From mass shootings at school to urban violence on the street, children become victims way too often across the country.

“If we don’t pass certain laws, or take the necessary steps, we are going to be here for the long haul,” says D.J. Jubilee.

In New Orleans, gun violence involving children is becoming an epidemic.

“We have issues. We have serious problems. Too many of our children are dying,” says Jubilee.

D.J. Jubilee, a coach and mentor to at-risk kids, says since 2003, he’s lost 38 teens. Most of them died to gun violence.

“We’ve got to stop this violence,” says Jubilee.

The number of child victims in New Orleans rose over the past year, along with violent crime.

15 kids were killed by gun violence in all of 2021.

In the first 5 months of this year, 13 children were shot and killed.

“The amount of guns on our streets is a major cause of children’s deaths,” says Peter Scharf.

LSU Health Criminologist, Peter Scharf, points out, that not enough is being done to stop it.

“And we don’t monitor the kids who are most at risk for death by gunfire,” says Scharf.

Meanwhile, he acknowledges kids know exactly what’s going on around them.

“It’s unbelievable how fast these kids are dying and they see it, and they know it,” says Jubilee.

Both Jubilee and Scharf believe everyone from parents to public officials needs to acknowledge what’s happening and take action now.

“It’s a system breakdown,” says Scharf.

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