‘We’re over words now’: Advocate demands action in wake of Africville shooting

Days aft gunfire collapsed retired astatine nan Africville reunion successful Halifax, Quentrel Provo is calling connected constabulary and politicians to do much astir weapon unit successful nan city.

“We’re complete words now. We request doers. We request action,” nan Stop nan Violence laminitis said Tuesday.

Five bystanders were hospitalized, including 1 pinch life-threatening injuries, aft 2 men exchanged gunfire astatine Saturday night’s event. No arrests person been made and constabulary person not provided immoderate fishy accusation arsenic of Wednesday.

Provo says addressing weapon unit arsenic a full should beryllium “priority number one.”

“Who’s going to guidelines up successful policing, who’s going to guidelines up successful politics? We’ve sewage organization leaders that are fresh to activity — I’m 1 of them, I’m present — and you cognize we request to do better,” he said Tuesday.

“I cognize our metropolis is increasing and we’re putting up buildings present and there, but we’re losing lives astatine a existent precocious complaint to weapon violence, to unit successful general…. And that’s nan sad part, erstwhile we’re losing quality lives and it’s not a main issue.”

Provo said constabulary request to attraction efforts connected determining really guns are getting into Nova Scotia and into nan hands of youth.

“If I was looking for a gun, I wouldn’t cognize wherever to start, you know? But kids are getting it.… We person to return that seriously.”

He besides echoed numerous organization voices successful stressing that Saturday’s unit is not a reflection of Africville.

“Forty years families person been coming together connected that ineffable land.… I cognize immoderate group tried to make it astir Africville and it’s not a reflection of those families and those people, that community, that travel together each year.”

In an email to Global News, Halifax Regional Police nationalist accusation serviceman Const. John MacLeod said location was nary further accusation “in narration to nan shooting investigation that I tin stock astatine this time.”

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He besides said nan main of constabulary was unavailable for an question and reply this week but went connected to say, “we understand nan community’s concerns and want them to cognize that we are taking these incidents very seriously.”

“Further to that, we person specialized units that proceed to enactment some reactively and proactively to propulsion forbidden guns off nan streets of our community. We do inquire that if anyone has accusation connected criminal activity particularly guns that they interaction constabulary truthful that we tin investigate.”

Of nan 5 taken to infirmary aft shots rang retired Saturday night, 4 were successful their 20s and 1 was a teenager. Police person not provided further accusation astir nan victims, but organization members, including Provo, person said nan teen was a 16-year-old woman who is now successful unchangeable condition.

“I person a teenage son, it hits home. I couldn’t moreover ideate what her parents are going through, her family’s going through, her friends.”

The shooting is believed to person been “targeted,” constabulary said Monday, but it’s unclear whether nan intended target was injured.