ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Organizations throughout Rochester are in talks about collaborating to curb violence.

What You Need To Know

  • Violence interrupters walk Rochester's streets following record number of murders
  • 585 SNUG focuses on violence prevention, working with residents, businesses and other community-based organizations to coordinate strategies to reduce shootings
  • You can reach SNUG by calling 585-615-4315

The record homicide rate is making them take a close look at what’s not working and what needs to be done.

“We’re trying to stop the gun violence, we do it by mediating conflicts," says an outreach worker for SNUG to a person on the street.

He and other outreach workers are trying to reach potential perpetrators before the trigger is pulled.

“We deal with individuals with the highest risk of shooting someone or getting shot, there’s a lot of killings out here," said the outreach worker to another person.

The folks in the group of outreach workers from 585 SNUG are known as violence interrupters. They focus on violence prevention, working with residents, businesses and other community-based organizations to coordinate strategies to reduce shootings.

SNUG is one of many community organizations saying enough is enough.

“My thing is trying to engage with the community in any way that we can," said Rise Up Rochester’s Wanda Ridgeway, who is part of the Homicide Response Team. Ridgeway has been meeting with the families of the victims in recent days who became part of the grim statistic – more homicides than any other year on record in Rochester.

“It is very heartbreaking,” said Ridgeway. “The community has to step up. We have to get back to being that community. Somebody has to trust somebody. You have to say something.”

Ridgeway works in the Rochester City School District and like others who are trying to help, believes the effort must focus on at-risk youth.

“So our youth are using the word ‘demon time.’ You're on demon time. Demon time is, they're 100 — they don't care if they die. So they're out here creating these crimes. And I don't think anybody is really listening to what they're saying," said Ridgeway.

SNUG wants teens and young adults to know they’ll not only listen but will help them put down the gun.

“If you know a young kid that somebody’s gunning for him or he’s trying to gun somebody, you call us. We’re confidential. We’re trying to mediate the conflict – we’re really trying to stop retaliation – yeah, that’s what we’re trying to do," said the outreach workers to some men sitting on a porch at a home in the city.

"If we come together and use our strengths together, we could make some powerful moves here," said Ridgeway.

Ridgeway and other community organizers agree it will take a major collaborative effort throughout this community in order to prevent the murder rate from continuing to skyrocket in Rochester.

You can reach SNUG by calling 585-615-4315.