BALDWIN COUNTY, Ga. — A group in Milledgeville is working together to push back against gang violence in Baldwin County.
Telly Boone says he was a former gang member until 1998, when he got arrested. Once he got out of jail, he founded Organizational Conciliation Community Collaboration (O3C).
He says O3C changed his life, and he hopes it can change others.
“It’s all in the schools everywhere you go, all in the music, the videos," he said. "So it's kind of hard now, but somebody's got to take a stand and reverse it."
Yolanda Latimore said she joined the organization because she wants to help the community's youth.
“Our young people are worth fighting for most definitely,” she said.
She says her 20-year-old brother was shot to death over a disagreement at work, and she's tired of seeing people die or fall to gang violence.
“It was senseless, just like the acts that are happening now that are associated with gang violence," she said. "They are senseless."
Boone says gangs can seem appealing to young people through money, women and flashy possessions - but he says hurting others and risking jail-time isn't worth it.
“Clearly, there is a problem," he said. "We want to talk about solutions that we can offer these kids to put these gangs down put the rags down."
To help put a stop to gang violence, he's hosting the 'Bury the Hatchet' event on Saturday, Nov. 30. He says the event will feature job opportunities, therapists and community leaders including Baldwin County Sheriff Bill Massee.
“You hope some young people come and say, 'You know, I don’t need to do this,'" Massee said.
Massee says gang violence has decreased from where it was in 2016 and 2017.
He’s hopeful people like Boone and others at the 'Bury the Hatchet' event can bring the numbers down further.