27 juveniles charged with firearm possession in 2024, court records show
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — In the wake of the Kansas City shooting, Nashville non-profits are taking a serious look at juvenile crime.
On Friday, Feb. 16, two minors were charged in connection with the Kansas City Super Bowl parade shooting that killed one person and injured over 20 others.
News 2 spoke to two non-profits that have been working for years to combat juvenile crime.
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“You go from living your life on a college campus and then being in a maximum security prison for a capital punishment,” said Calvin Bryant, Positive Inner-City Kids.
That’s what happened to Bryant in 2008: “I was a college athlete. I played for Tennessee State University. I did a drug transaction in 2008 that landed me in prison for 10 and a half years.”
One bad decision cost Bryant a decade.
“One big decision can cost you your life, either way, jail or death,” Bryant said.
Last week, the Metro Nashville Police Department said two teenagers were shot and killed in the Meigs Magnet School parking lot. Two other teens were later charged in relation to the shooting.
However, juvenile crime goes beyond Nashville. The two minors arrested following the Super Bowl parade shooting in Kansas City are being held in a juvenile detention center on gun-related and resisting arrest charges, but more charges are expected as police continue to investigate the deadly incident, according to Missouri court officials.
“Lately, in the recent years, crime has really picked up, especially amongst our teenagers and the younger crowd,” Bryant said.
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It’s an issue Bryant’s been working to fix for years through his non-profit, Positive Inner-City Kids. Bryant mentors kids across Nashville, from inside the classroom to the juvenile court.
“It’s a passion for me because I come from where they come from. I come from South Nashville,” Bryant said.
“The Urban League’s tagline is empowering communities and changing lives,” said Kenya McGruder with the Urban League of Middle Tennessee.
For more than 50 years, the Urban League of Middle Tennessee has also worked to curb juvenile crime. One program the non-profit offers is summer jobs for youth.
“We want to wrap as many services around them so they are able to make better choices,” McGruder said.
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As for Bryant, he hopes he can make a difference by sharing his story.
“I’ve also been that kid that made a decision that cost me my life for a decade, so I want to stop these kids from making those kind of decisions because a couple seconds can cost you a couple decades,” Bryant said.
According to the Juvenile Court in Davidson County, 27 juveniles have been charged with firearm possession this year so far. Seven have been charged with theft of a firearm.
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