Pastors In North Tulsa Working To Stop The Violence

After another shooting in the neighborhood, pastors in North Tulsa continue their mission to stop the violence.

A group of pastors in the area held a news conference in hopes of preventing a retaliation shooting.

They say there isn’t one person who can fix this problem, but they are taking responsibility, saying they haven’t done enough and neither have community leaders and those who live in the neighborhood.

“I’m tired of North Tulsa being considered the hood, when it used to be a neighborhood where people help each other,” said Reverend Arlando Jasper.

The North Tulsa Baptist Ministers Conference says it’ll take collaboration to figure out a strategy.

The pastors say key factors are economic development, with businesses being owned by people who live in the community, and early childhood education that continues as kids grow into teens and into adults.

The group says it’s ignorant to protest high-profile shootings, like Terrance Crutcher, but not to protest shootings against one another.

“How can you talk about oppression and be an oppressor?” asked Jasper.  “Every time you pick up a gun and take somebody’s life, you are being a part of the system of oppression that you scream is an issue and an enemy to you.”

The pastors say nothing will change if people don’t get engaged.  They also say stopping the violence will lead to more jobs, better education, and more opportunities in North Tulsa.