Portland observer., March 11, 2015, Image 8

Page 8
March 11, 2015
‘Put Your Guns Down’
continued
from front
wrap them around somebody. Because if
you guys kill somebody else, you’re mak-
ing me hurt, so I’m begging, please don’t
do this,” she said. “I don’t want
somebody’s family to have to go through
what I’m going through right now.”
Other family members of shooting vic-
tims, including Lucy Mashia (mother of
the late Leonard Irving), Kimberly Dixon
(mother of Andreas Dixon), and Dr.
Josephine Carter-Holmes (mother of the
Lenton Bernard Yarborough), sat along-
side Assistant Police Chief Kevin Modica,
one of Portland’s long time African-Ameri-
can officers, while they testified to their
experiences of losing their sons.
The families also want the community to
come forward with any information to help
law enforcement bring those responsible
for the shootings to justice.
“Somebody knows something,” said
Lucy Mashia, “and no one is saying any-
PHOTO BY O LIVIA O LIVIA //T HE P ORTLAND O BSERVER
Nike Greene (left), wife of Pastor Herman Green, and Kimberly Dixon, a Portland
mother who lost her son Andreas Dixon to gun violence, share thoughts in prepa-
ration to making a public plea with other family members of sons and daughters
killed in gang-relating shootings.
thing. Somebody knows what happened
to my son, and I’m begging you to let us
know. This culture of silence has got to
end, please.”
The group was lead in prayer at the end
of their meeting by Pastor Herman Greene,
who prayed for peace, forgiveness, and
hope for the families suffering the loss of
their sons.
Happy Birthday
Maggie Gibson
Thank you for all the
hard work you have
done in the community