SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) – With more than a month left in 2020, homicides in San Francisco have now surpassed the murder rate in 2019.
Data released from San Francisco police shows 45 homicides happened so far this year, compared to 41 in 2019.
Many attribute the increase in homicides to the desperation of people in these difficult times but it’s also important to note that this violence is plaguing underserved communities in San Francisco.
Jace Young’s family is still trying to make sense of the violence that took away their son.
Their six-year-old boy was shot and killed on July 4th while watching fireworks at a family members’ birthday party in the Bayview District.
“This is a club that I do not like being a part of to have to bury your children,” Jason Young said.
Jace’s father, Jason Young is frustrated that the killer is still out there.
Since his son’s death, he says the senseless violence continued to plague his community and his family.
“My cousin I mean he was just one of the victims of the double homicide in the Bayview last week,” Jason said. “A lot of times is there’s a shooting, the police will patrol that area for 3 or 4 days and then back to normal and my family, we’re still trying to find a normal.”
Hoping to solve some of these issues, Supervisor Shamann Walton who represents District 10 unveiled a plan on Tuesday to curb the violence and bring more resources to these communities.
Of the 45 homicides so far this year, 15 happened in his district — 13 of those happened in the Bayview.
Other city groups like United Playaz, a violence prevention and youth development organization, says the change starts with all of us.
“Trying to make the change in the neighborhood by speaking to the youth and the guys we see out here on these blocks,” Everett Butler said. “It takes us to save us. We need everybody out here with their boots on the ground letting everybody know it’s one band, one sound.”
As another way to hopefully curb this violence, United Playaz is holding its annual gun buyback event on December 12th at its building on Howard Street.