NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — In a push to combat youth violence, community members and advocates gathered at the J.C. Napier Community Center in Nashville, hoping an open discussion would lead to change.
“It’s necessary in every community. Every household,” said Rico McClean, whose 26-year-old son, Christopher McClean, was fatally shot in October 2023. Despite surveillance footage and a plea for information, Chris’s case remains unsolved.
“All leads have dried up. There’s no more information coming in and no new answers,” McClean said. “Every day I wake up it’s a different day and different mood. Different feeling, and most of the time it’s not a good one.”
Scenes of flashing red and blue lights, yellow police tape, and grieving families have become familiar across Middle Tennessee. Advocates, like Benzion Israel from Youth Violence Conflict Resolution, say they’re working to change this.
“There’s a lot of crime that happens among the youth here in Nashville,” Israel said.
As an advocate against gang violence, Israel hoped by bringing together community leaders, law enforcement officials, and parents like McClean, for the Youth Violence Conflict Resolution Seminar, they could reach the young people at risk.
“If we can break through the mindset with the word of God and try to show them who they are and how important God says they are, maybe they can change their thinking,” Israel shared.
Teaching young people to love and understand each other beyond their immediate family was a big message of the seminar. “If you teach them how to love their brothers and sisters and help them understand your brothers and sisters extend beyond those in your house, that would be a lot more love and understanding,” McClean added.
Organizers hope the seminar will equip attendees with tools to de-escalate conflicts and build positive relationships.
Anyone with information regarding the McClean investigation is asked to contact Murfreesboro Police.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at aaron.cantrell@newschannel5.com
There are still so many families in East Tennessee hurting following the floods from Hurricane Helene in September. That made this year's running of the Santa Train extra special for many families in the northeast part of the state. This special Santa Express has been making an annual run in part of Appalachia for over 80 years.
-Lelan Statom
