Columbia’s new Office of Violence Prevention administrator says that we have gangs in the city.
D’Markus Thomas-Brown talked briefly about gangs during Friday’s presentation to the Columbia Pachyderm Club at Dickey’s BBQ. Thomas-Brown tells the audience that we were warned about gangs in 2003 and 2004, and says the city council did nothing about it then. Thomas-Brown spoke to 939 the Eagle after his presentation at Dickey’s:
“Wynna Faye Tapp-Elbert was kind of attacked because she said we had gangs. So that whole thing was spewing around 2004, excuse me. And we didn’t do much. As a matter of fact, we decreased in programs,” Thomas-Brown says.
Ms. Tapp-Elbert died in 2014 at the age of 69. Thomas-Brown continues to appeal to the community for unity to stop violence. He also says shooters must be at the table to stop the violence.
He also says we have a mental health crisis. D’Markus Thomas-Brown spoke to Columbia’s Pachyderm Club for more than an hour on Friday about violence, and he praises the current city council:
“I believe that we have a council and leadership who is poised to do something today,” Thomas-Brown says.
D’Markus Thomas-Brown is a Columbia College graduate. He hopes his position can help develop systemic change by empowering individuals and families.
