Activists aim to stop NLV violence
Two days after a 15-year-old boy was gunned down, dozens of students, police, pastors and community activists gathered Wednesday at West Middle School in North Las Vegas in an effort to stop violence in the area.
"We want to send a message of love and a message of peace," Pastor Troy Martinez said.
On Monday night, 15-year-old James Givens, a 14-year-old boy and a 20-year-old woman were shot on the corner of Gilday Avenue and Englestad Street, near Martin Luther King and Lake Mead boulevards. James died from his wounds but the other two were treated and released from University Medical Center.
Authorities think the shooting was in retaliation for another shooting and homicide in the area, North Las Vegas police Capt. Victor Dunn said.
Police have yet to make an arrest in James' shooting.
Authorities said that James was associated with a gang and that all three people shot on Monday night were the intended targets of the shooter.
Martinez said he is afraid Monday's shooting will lead to more tit-for-tat shootings in the area. "It's ready to explode," he said.
The gathering at the school is part of the Safe Village and Operation Lasting Peace initiatives, a combined effort among city officials, law enforcement and community leaders to address violence in the area.
On Wednesday, hot dogs were served to West students as they left the school. Religious-based rappers from Blood Bought Entertainment sang on a makeshift stage. Blood Bought is a local rap label that pushes a positive message through music.
Marilyn Vilchez, a 14-year-old friend and schoolmate of James, said the teen was an eighth grader at West and was beginning to take school more seriously.
Vilchez said she "cried the whole day" when she learned her friend had been shot.
James is the third valley teenager who has been shot and killed in slightly more than a month.
On Oct. 14, 15-year-old Demontre Carroll was fatally shot in front of his house near Decatur Boulevard and Blue Diamond Road. Police arrested another 15-year-old, Raymond Roseby, in connection with the killing.
On Nov. 1, 14-year-old De'Arney Austin was shot and killed while walking home from a Halloween party. He was found slain near Rancho Drive and Decatur Boulevard.
His killer remains at large.
Contact reporter David Kihara at dkihara@reviewjournal.com or (702) 383-4638.
