Town hall hosted in Fonde community in SE Houston after recent increase in crime

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The Fonde Civic Club hosted a "Neighbors Against Gun Violence" town hall event at Fonde Park on Saturday.

Organizers said the goal is to address gun violence in the southeast Houston community.

"What we have seen is our small little neighborhood has had gun violence that has affected children, neighbors, homicides. So, we're seeing a trend that we cannot sustain because we want to be safe at our homes. Safety is a primary human need, and we need to honor that," Karina Blest, president of the Fonde Civic Club, said.

In April, Houston police said a man was gunned down by his own neighbor in the Fonde community. That case was sent to a grand jury, police said.

Earlier this year, ABC13 spoke to a couple who had bullets blasted through their home in the middle of the night.

Leaders said they invited members from the Houston Police Department and the Harris County District Attorneys Office to hear their concerns.

Blest said June is also gun violence prevention month, and they've partnered with organizations like Brady United to share their campaign against gun violence.

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She also said that Lock Arms for Life will donate gun locks and children's books to community members.

Blest also told ABC13 that it is a call to action and that everyone is welcome.

"Murders, shootings, shooting at the bayou, just gun violence in general, and so we want to address this, and we want to invite the community to come out and tell HPD what's happening in our community and how can we stop it," Blest said.

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