An opponent of gun violence in Chillicothe – whose family now has two personal experiences with it – spoke to Chillicothe Council, urging action. Jason Salley addressed them Monday evening, saying that his niece was traumatized by the latest major shooting in town.
He said she was walking on the floodwall when she headed over to Mulberry Street...just when two young men decided to shoot at a house and car there. No one was injured in Saturday’s incident, which police are reported to have said was gang-related (see also image below). A 15-year-old and 20-year-old were arrested for the shooting.
In January, Salley described to council his niece’s first experience with gun violence: being wounded in an apparent murder-suicide plot where her boyfriend killed himself when confronted by police.
Salley said he was disappointed that the city had not taken any action since then, while it seems that gun violence in town has gotten worse.
He said he reached out to the Brady National Gun Violence Prevention Association, and founded a local Scioto Valley chapter to address gun violence in Ross and Pike counties.
Gun violence is multifaceted, Salley said, and it requires increased mental health services for youth, more police on the street, more police personnel to investigate how the guns are coming in, and more. Are the guns being stolen from homes or vehicles, or illegally traded from Columbus and other nearby bigger cities?
Conflict resolution needs to be taught in schools, instead of kids ruining their own lives and lives of others. Salley also suggested free gun lock boxes, like the City of Columbus gives out.
He said one life lost is too many, and one trauma is too many – demanding safe streets in Chillicothe.
The Scioto Valley Chapter of “BRADY” has a Facebook page. Find a link to the national organization and a post on the chapter’s TikTok account there.
Find more in the article on the Scioto Post, including the video interview and video of Salley's address.
Kevin Coleman covers local government and culture for the Scioto Post and iHeart Media Southern Ohio. For stories or questions, contact Kevin Coleman or the iHeart Southern Ohio Newsroom.