Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
KEARNS — It was broad daylight, in a public park filled with children Tuesday when several shots were fired.
One person was injured. Now police have made several arrests.
Three teens and one adult, along with the teen who was shot in the leg at Mountain Man Park, 4935 S. Heath Ave., about 7 p.m. on Tuesday, now face potential attempted murder charges.
Some parents are saying the shooting is a harsh reminder that community efforts to curb gang violence have died.
In early 2009, many parents were outraged after 16- year-old Esteban Saidi was fatally shot and killed by another teen in front of Kearns High School. Hundreds met in a town hall meeting to discuss how to best to combat gang activity.
In light of the recent shooting, some are saying too many people have given up on that effort.
“I’m shocked that it’s happened again,” said Charles Henderson, a father and former member of the Kearns Community Council.
He said the best way to prevent shootings like this one is for parents to get involved.
"I see it as being really apathetic,” he said. “Unless it happens in their house, in their backyard, people disengage real quickly."
For many people, the shooting was in their backyard. Several children were playing where the shots rang out, but no one was injured other than the teen who initially brandished a gun.
“Frustrating is putting it really lightly when it comes to the lives of children,” youth activist Juanita Ramos Corum said. “How can we gamble with our kids?”
"Frustrating is putting it really lightly when it comes to the lives of childre...How can we gamble with our kids?" Juanita Ramos Corum
She said much like before, people are starting to react when they should have been proactive.
"As a parent and grandparent, what I don't want is to have to worry about any kids that I interact with not being around," she said.
Marie Gallegos started the youth group "The Grind, Sk8 and Ski Outreach" with her three kids and some friends in response to gang violence in 2009.
"This is a youth group that was already established within their own little four walls,” she said, “and we decided to take it outside of our four walls and be able to reach out to the community."
Donald Smith said the group has helped him. “I was just getting in a lot of trouble,” he said. “I came here and like they helped me out.”
"It gets me out of the house to do something and I like to make a positive impact on the people around me," Jessica Gallegos said.
Efforts to curb gang activity are still going at Kearns High School. Parents said they expect interest in those efforts in the community will likely pick up again after the shooting here and they want to make sure parents to stick with it.
Email:[manderson@ksl.com](<mailto: manderson@ksl.com>)
