Yakima Gathers At Seasons To Talk About Recent Violence

Yakima residents attended a community meeting a the Seasons Performance Hall Thursday night to talk about the recent violence in the city and how to prevent it in the future. One theme was heard loud and clear by the more than 150 people who attended. The community must work together and be the eyes and ears for the police. Yakima Mayor Avina Gutierrez told those at Seasons on Thursday "looking around in the audience it's obvious that we are trying to come together and take an opportunity to seize the moment and turn it into something positive." For many in the audience it was a chance to hear from a variety of community leaders and law enforcement like Yakima County Sheriff Brian Winter who says without the cooperation of the public they wouldn't be able to solve crimes. "I'd rather send a deputy to something 10 times to find out it's OK than to miss that one piece of information that would help us avoid something like last weekend."  People were concerned and had many questions and suggestions as to how the issues can be addressed all in hopes that the community never sees another homicide filled weekend like last weekend in Yakima.