As George Floyd protests spread across U.S., Harrisburg rally planned for Sunday aims to stop youth violence

Dauphin County Prison peaceful protest

A peaceful protest was held at Dauphin County Prison over the treatment of inmates housed in the prison, July 20, 2019. Kevin Maxson, the organizer of the protest, speaks to media. Vicki Vellios Briner | Special to PennLiveVicki Vellios Briner | Special to PennLive

In the wake of the killing of 14-year-old Tyrone Gibson, as well as the many other young people lost to violence in Harrisburg in recent years, Kevin Maxson has organized a rally to start a conversation.

Maxson, a candidate to represent democrats in the 103rd District, said the goal of the rally is “to engage our youth" and find out what is keeping them in a cycle of violence.

“What are they missing? And what do they believe,” Maxson said. He has been doing research and learning, talking to kids in troubled neighborhoods where shootings and homicides have been prevalent in recent years.

On Tuesday, Gibson was shot around the corner from his house, after telling his mom he was going to the store with some friends.

To Maxson, he sees these kids suffering an identity crisis and that there hasn’t been anyone around to give them not just attention, but love. And instead, their actions are dictated by fear, pain and hatred.

“These kids are suffering from mental illnesses, emotional attachment issues,” Maxson said. “They feel like they’re alone all the time.”

Maxson wants to hold the rally to open up a forum for parents and children to engage and talk about these things and ask questions about finding a better way.

“My intention is to stop violence on all levels,” Maxson said and added he does expect this to be peaceful. “I don’t want to see people rioting. I don’t want to see people damaging Harrisburg."

He wants people to learn from the violence going on around the country, and to make the cognitive choices to prevent something similar from happening, he said.

Maxson said he and a young man who he said has graduated without becoming another statistic will be there to answer questions about what it takes to find a way out.

“I’m just trying to show them different ways, different routes,” Maxson said. He added that he wasn’t able to make the changes he needed to without going to prison.

“I don’t want our youth to go through what I went through. It’s unnecessary. I went through it, I don’t want our youth to go through it,” Maxson said. “But I’m going to continue to push for change.”

The Stop the Violence rally will be held on the Capitol steps on Sunday from 1-6 p.m.

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