CINCINNATI — Cincinnati residents, faith leaders, a police representative and local advocates gathered at the Community Action Agency for a panel and conversation about city violence at WCPO's "Finding Solutions" event in Bond Hill Wednesday.
The event was held in two parts: a panel discussion lasting nearly two hours and one-on-one talks with attendees. The conversation was raw and emotional, with residents sharing personal experiences with violence.
“You ask, are there gangs? Boys 15, 16, that I talked to (say), 'My life is over with because I can’t get out of this gang,'" one resident said. "Been in the school after reading a poem, a young girl (started) crying. What’s wrong? 'I lost all three of my brothers to gun violence.'”
Citywide data shows violent crime is down 2.8% year-to-date, and the 2026 average is down nearly 9.5% compared to the three-year average. Some of the biggest increases have been in Over-the-Rhine, Bond Hill, North Avondale and Evanston.
WATCH: Community members and advocates share their solutions for city violence
The evening opened with a direct question from one of the moderators, WCPO 9 anchor Tanya O'Rourke: "What solutions-based things, what programs do you see that are working?"
Attendees discussed what they have seen working, including increased police visibility, drone coverage and placed-based strategies used in areas like Government Square.
Much of the discussion also focused on what is lacking. Residents said grassroots organizations doing critical work often go unrecognized.
"Grassroots groups who are doing the hard work. People don't know who they are. Maybe if you live in the neighborhood, you lead these organizations, you attend the same church, you may know about them. Nobody knows who they are," a resident said.
Many also raised concerns that ideas to address violence throughout Cincinnati rarely move beyond the "discussion table."
"They've got to leave here confident that that solution and that recommendation is going to go somewhere other than just that table that they were sitting at," Pastor Ennis Tait said.
Community leaders said funding — and how it is distributed — is a critical piece of the puzzle.
"There are a ton of organizations that are really trying to do the work. But they don't have the funding, and sometimes the funding is hard to come by. And sometimes it's kind of gatekeeping," Eddie Hawkins, the youth program coordinator with Cincinnati police, said.
Others echoed that sentiment, calling on the city to direct more resources to the community.
In the coming days and weeks, WCPO will be following up with more stories based on the ideas and information shared at this event.
We still want to hear from you as we look for solutions to crime and other concerns in our city. You can reach out to Jay Shakur using the contact information below:
