Valdosta seeing gun violence in youth increasing

VALDOSTA, Ga. (WALB) - Losing a loved one to gun violence is nearly impossible to process. That’s why one week out of the year is dedicated to grieving families.

National Gun Violence Survivors Awareness Week is observed February 1st-7th to honor every survivor who must live with the trauma of losing a loved one to gun violence.

“It’s the most painful thing ever. It’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about my daughter, and I’m always wishing she was still here with me. My life has definitely changed forever. There’s a hole and a pain in my heart that is there, and I can’t get rid of it. And this is my new normal for the rest of my life,” Shameka Iraldo, mother of Deja McCary who lost her life to gun violence, said.

Iraldo says her daughter would still be here today if officials could get people who use guns maliciously off the streets.

“As parents, we try to protect our children from harm and danger. And so many of us have lost our children to gun violence and it must stop. If it wasn’t for my granddaughter I don’t know where I would be. My granddaughter, she helps me cope in so many ways. And I’m so blessed that she’s still here with me,” Iraldo said.

Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk says he doesn’t think any laws need to change. He believes people need to change.

“I think we have adequate laws. We got a lot of traffic laws and everything else, but people still speed. People are going to break the law. You came make all the laws you want to. Fortunately, we’re in a country where we do have rights,” Paulk said. “So, you have to align, do you fringe on people’s rights because a certain amount of the population is violating the rights of all the others?”

Over the past couple of months, Valdosta has seen several incidents involving children with guns. But this isn’t just a Lowndes County issue.

Sheriff Paulk says several ministries are coming together in the Valdosta- Lowndes community to try and steer the younger generation away from guns so that families can have a better future.

In the most recent year tracked, Georgia saw over 1,600 deaths due to gun violence. With over 150 of those being children ages 0-19, according to the John Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions.

Paulk says the gun violence here in Valdosta, especially between our younger generation, is trending for the worst.

“Most of our people who are committing these crimes of murder are under the age of 25. I mean it’s unbelievable. This generation now, you’ve got gangs recruiting people at a young age. What we’re seeing now 16 and 17-year-olds instead of getting in a fist fight, they’re going to shoot it out,” Paulk said.

Iraldo says she’s starting a non-profit in honor of her daughter called the “Blue Butterfly Organization.”

“I just wish that the gun violence would stop. It’s crazy. I don’t wish this pain on anyone. I really wish that they would just put the guns down. The world would be so much better. You know, all of this senseless killing and dying it just has to stop,” Iraldo said.

Paulk says there’s a consequence with anything you do, but if you commit murder, you’ll receive the ultimate consequence.

“There was a shooting a while back in the city, a 16 and 17-year-old. Well, the boy that died, that mother lost that child for life. But the other mothers lost their child for life too because he’s going to serve life in prison. Think of the consequences if you use the gun. Just realize how potent a weapon is. You can change a life in one second,” he said.

According to John Hopkins, Georgia had the 15th highest gun death rate in the country, something Paulk says they’re trying to work on improving in Valdosta.

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