Your Stories

Mark

For Mark, a routine walk home from a long day at culinary school turned into a frightening ordeal, to say the least. Listen as he retells his experience of being a gun violence victim.

Watch

Jim

A seemingly harmless walk with a friend around their neighborhood quickly turned to a violent situation for Jim. Hear him tell the story about his encounter with gun violence.

Watch

Geraldine M.

After losing two sons to gun violence, Geraldine became active in helping others who may be going through a similar ordeal. Hear what she has to say about the violence on our city's streets.

Watch

Jill H.

Jill's life was forever changed when she became the unexpected victim of violence while attended a youth football game. Listen to her story of gun violence and how that brief incident has impacted her life.

Watch

Rob C.

As the Western Pennsylvania Coordinator for CeaseFire PA, Rob Conroy has heard many stories of gun violence. He retells the story that has stayed with him

Watch

Adrienne Y.

No parent expects to lose his or her child to a violent act and Adrienne Young is no exception. Listen to her story and how she hopes violent acts, like the one that took her son’s life, can be prevented.

Watch

Your Stories

Judy C. - Squirrel Hill
"Although I am lucky enough to never have lost a close friend or family member to gun violence, I feel that I have been impacted by what is happening all to frequently in our city and nation. Here is how gun violence impacts me. I find myself becoming inured to the weekly accounts of shootings. When I hear of another bright, caring, young person, filled with potential, killed all too soon, I wonder if they were the one who would have discovered a cure for cancer, lightened my life with their music, been the leader we need for the times ahead; I worry about sending our children to a friend’s house to play and feeling uncomfortable to raise the issue of guns in the house with the parents; I'm forced to confront my own vulnerability to finding myself at the wrong place at a time when some person who should have been identified and receiving mental health services instead acts out his pain and demons by deciding to shoot up a shopping mall, movie theater, grocery store parking lot, or school. My experiences are limited when I self restrict my movement to parts of our city because I perceive them to be unsafe and view my neighbors as suspicious and dangerous. All these feeling wear me down but also spur me to action.

I have worked to quell gun violence as part of my temple and through the gun violence taskforce of PIIN. Through this work I have become aware of the many other Pittsburghers working to curb gun violence and force gun owners to be responsible gun owners. I am discouraged that so many of our elected officials fail to represent the strong feelings of the majority of their constituents who demand that the violence stop..."

Gun Violence: Voices and Victims for Change

Episode One: The Victims

Michael Bartley reports on people whose lives were forever changed by gun violence.

Watch

Episode Two: The Voices: Tonia Caruso examines the complexities of the gun control debate. Gun experts, community groups, representatives from the mental health community and more weigh in on the issues and obstacles in the search for common ground. And as the arguing continues in Washington, Debra Germany of Pittsburgh isn't waiting for politicians. After her son was shot and killed, she's determined to make a difference by stopping gun violence in her community.