Community groups rally to stop the violence after deadly Easter shooting in Waco – KCENTV.com

Community Initiative in Waco Addresses Violence in Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: Incident and Community Response

A community in Waco, Texas, is responding to a recent act of violence with a proactive event aimed at fostering peace and unity. The response follows a shooting on April 20th at Oscar DuCongé Park, which resulted in the death of Giovanni Lopez and the injury of two other individuals, aged 18 and 23. As of July 11th, Waco police have investigated six homicides in 2025, with three arrests made. In response to this trend, local organizations Ex Con 4 Kids and Only God Ministries have organized a “Stop the Violence” event at the site of the shooting.

Event Objectives and Details

The “Stop the Violence” event is designed to unite the community against violence and promote a message of healing and forgiveness. The initiative is led by Kevin Sterling, founder of Ex Con 4 Kids, and Moses Resendiz, founder of Only God Ministries, both of whom are former inmates dedicated to positive community transformation.

• Organizers: Ex Con 4 Kids and Only God Ministries
• Location: Oscar DuCongé Park, Waco, Texas
• Time: Saturday, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• Activities: The event will feature music, food, family activities, and speakers. A key component will be an open dialogue with parents and children focused on violence prevention.
• Core Message: To break the cycle of violence through forgiveness and unity, with organizers stating, “The goal here is to get people to come together so we can form as one to help the community.”

Alignment with SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

This community-led initiative directly supports the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 16, which aims to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels.

1. Target 16.1: Reduce Violence: The event’s central theme is to “Stop the Violence,” directly addressing the SDG target to significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates.
2. Target 16.7: Inclusive Societies: By organizing a public forum for dialogue and healing, the event promotes responsive, inclusive, and participatory decision-making. The leadership of former inmates demonstrates a commitment to including marginalized voices in community-building efforts.
3. Building Peaceful Institutions: The collaboration between the two ministries acts as a grassroots institution-building effort, fostering a culture of peace and conflict resolution through messages like, “It takes a bigger man to walk away from conflict.”

Contributions to Interconnected SDGs

The event’s impact extends beyond SDG 16, touching upon several other interconnected goals that are crucial for sustainable community development.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: By addressing the root causes of violence and promoting a message of “forgiveness and healing,” the initiative contributes to mental health and well-being (Target 3.4) and seeks to prevent premature deaths.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The event works to reclaim a public space for the community, ensuring it is safe, inclusive, and accessible (Target 11.7). This fosters a sense of security and ownership over shared urban areas.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The collaboration between Ex Con 4 Kids and Only God Ministries exemplifies a local partnership (Target 17.17) mobilizing resources and expertise to achieve shared sustainable development objectives.

Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  The article’s central theme is the response to community violence, specifically a fatal shooting. The “Stop The Violence” event, the focus on forgiveness and healing, and the efforts to unite the community against violence directly address the goal of promoting peaceful and inclusive societies. The article mentions a homicide, a shooting, and the community’s desire to “break this violent cycle,” which aligns perfectly with the core mission of SDG 16.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  The incident occurred in a public park (Oscar DuCongé Park), a vital community space. The event aims to reclaim this park, making it a safe place for “family activities” and bringing residents together. This connects to the goal of making cities and human settlements inclusive and safe. Ensuring public spaces are free from violence is essential for a sustainable community.

What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere

   This target is directly relevant as the article details a violent event where Giovanni Lopez was shot and killed, and two others were injured. The community event is explicitly named “Stop The Violence,” and its organizers aim to “break this violent cycle.” The mention of “six homicides in 2025” further underscores the focus on reducing violent death rates in the community.

2. Target 11.7: By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces

   The shooting happened at Oscar DuCongé Park, a public space that was rendered unsafe by the violence. The community’s response, by holding a peaceful event with “family activities” in the very same park, is a direct effort to restore safety and ensure the space is inclusive and accessible for all residents to come together.

Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator 16.1.1: Number of victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population

  The article provides a specific data point that aligns with this indicator: “Waco police have investigated six homicides in 2025.” This statistic is a direct measure of intentional homicides within the community, which can be used to track progress in reducing violence over time.

• Implied Indicator for Target 11.7: Reduction of violence in public spaces and community perception of safety

  While not a formal UN indicator, the article implies that a measure of success would be the reduction of violent acts in public areas like the park. The event itself, designed to “bring the community together” for “family activities” in a space previously marked by violence, serves as a qualitative indicator of the effort to improve the safety and inclusivity of public spaces. Future progress could be measured by a decrease in such incidents and an increase in community use of the park.

Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: kcentv.com