South Toledo residents say they are fed up with all the violence in their neighborhood

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - It’s been a violent month so far here in Toledo. We’re just a little over two weeks in and Toledo has already recorded more homicides than it did in the entire month of October.

13abc spoke to some residents of South Toledo, where some of the recent shootings have taken place, and they say they are fed up.

Steven Williams has lived in Toledo his entire life.

“We should get together and start praying more for some peace and some love and some joy and some happiness, the fruit of the spirit would be great instead of the hatred, the gangs, the guns, and the violence,” said Williams.

He loves this city but said he is sick of hearing about murders every day. Another Toledoan, Lupe Blanco, said his life has been affected by the violence.

“I used to have block parties and everything and I don’t have them anymore. I don’t want anybody to get hurt,” said Blanco. “They just drive by and randomly shoot now. They don’t care who they’re shooting at. They’re shooting at somebody they’ve got some stuff with but they don’t care who is in the way.”

Blanco and Williams said they both have grandkids. The grandpas want a better future for the kids.

“I don’t want to see my grandkids growing up in this kind of environment. My kids had to endure it, but my grandkids shouldn’t have to go through this. We should be able to put a stop to this before our grandkids become grown-ups,” said Williams.

Another Toledo resident who wanted to remain anonymous echoed the same sentiments.

“I think it’s ridiculous. Too many young lives being lost in our streets. Every time you come out there’s some dramatic accident going on,” said the South End resident.

All the men said they don’t know what needs to change, but it can’t go on like this in their neighborhood.

“We need to come together as a community, as a city, as people and get it right because the way it’s going right now we’re going to lose more than we got. We need these young people to be our future,” said the South End man.

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