Mothers of murder victims advocate for less violence - KSHB

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A group of mothers of murder victims took a stand Wednesday before the Kansas City Council, asking for more support against crime in the metro.

About a dozen moms stood side by side with matching T-shirts as part of an Ad-Hoc Group called Mothers in Charge. Each of them have similar tragedies.  

"He was shot March 26th of 2012," Crystal Parish said of her son, Terrance Parish. His case is one of the few in the group that has been solved.  

"My son was killed September 26 ^th at 6 o'clock in broad daylight," said Archell Toombs.  

"My son Ashton O'Guinn was murdered April 23rd, 2012," said Dewanna O'Guinn.

O'Guinn said she remembers the day her son, Ashton O'Guinn, was killed like it was yesterday.

"These families, these victims, are not forgotten and we are not going to take this," she said.

Toombs lost her son, Michole Toombs, in just one of the many unsolved cases in the city.

"I never would think it would happen to my son," she said.

Nearly half of the homicides in Kansas City from 2012 have no killer behind bars, according to the police website. Mothers in Charge works with police to help find leads and petition for gun legislation, and the group is now highlighting those unsolved homicide cases during the month of June.

The group has planned several candlelight vigils for unsolved murder victims this month. The complete list of those vigils is listed below.

June 5: 6 p.m. Vigil for Ashton O'Guinn at 3200 South Benton Blvd.

June 8: 6 p.m. Vigil for Mattel Lane at 2200 Denver Ave.

June 10: 6 p.m. Vigil for Cortez Wilson at 11300 Sycamore Terr.

June 12: 6 p.m Vigil for Aaron Powell at 3100 Agnes Ave.

June 14: 7 p.m. Vigil for Arnold Shelby at 3707 E. 29th St.

June 15: Father's Day Picnic at 12:30 p.m. scheduled at Brooklyn Avenue and Linwood Boulevard. This is for fathers who have lost children to a murder.

June 17: 6 p.m. Vigil for Marcus Williams at 71 Highway and Emmanuel Cleaver Boulevard.

If you would like more information about the group, they are available by phone at 816-861-5500 and at www.adhocgroupkc.com

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