Community organizations in Tallahassee say preventing youth violence starts with mentorship, community involvement, and positive opportunities, not just law enforcement.WATCH FULL REPORT BELOW: Tallahassee leaders push community engagement to prevent youth violenceThe push comes as city leaders and law enforcement warn teens and young adults about pop-up parties and violence in the community.For community leaders, the recent violence is about more than crime statistics. They say every shooting affects families, friends, and neighborhoods, leaving communities searching for ways to prevent the next tragedy before it happens."I'm tired of hearing about parents having to do GoFundMes and what have you to bury their children, because they were not expecting to have to bury their children. Don't do that to us. Don't do that to parents. What happens in this situation, somebody goes to the mortuary and somebody else goes to jail, and that way all families lose. We don't want that. We don't need any more of that in our community," Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox, said.Many believe the answer starts with rebuilding connections between neighbors, families, and young people. They say preventing violence isn't solely the responsibility of law enforcement, but of everyone who has a role in guiding the next generation."There was a time where we believe that it took a village, and somehow, someway, we got away from that, and we need to go back to those morals and values that we once had, where we looked out for each other, we protected each other, and we had a level of accountability and responsibility for each other," Sherika Collins, VP of Programs and Outreach with Tallahassee Urban League's Young Professionals.Organizations across Tallahassee are working to create more opportunities for families and young people to connect through community events, summer camps, mentorship programs, and other positive activities. Leaders say those efforts help young people build support systems, develop relationships with positive role models, and see opportunities for their future."If we want people to have a good time, we want people to gather if they want to, but we want them to do it responsibly, and we really need the community's help to make sure that we can make that happen," TPD Chief of Police Lawrence Revell, saidThis story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.Want to see more local news? Visit the WTXL ABC 27 Website. Stay in touch with us anywhere, anytime.Like us on FacebookFollow us on Instagram and X. ...read more read less