NEW ORLEANS — Thursday, April 18th, marks the start of National Crime Victims' Rights Week.
The kick-off to the national awareness week comes days after a mass shooting in the New Orleans CBD. Police say Jezreel Poleate was shot and killed, and 11 others were injured.
Jezreel's parents, Sharon and Gary Poleate, spoke at City Council Thursday as part of National Crime Victims Week.
"Our family is broken... we just hope it doesn't happen to another family," Mr. Poleate said to the city council,
NOPD says 24-year-old Jezreel Poleate was killed minutes before midnight Sunday as she was waiting in line outside Republic Nola, a nightclub on South Peter's Street in the CBD.
Her mother, Sharon Poleate, said, "She said, ' Oh Mama, I am going to the Republic... I'll be back at 2:30 a.m.' I said, ' Jezreel, you just came in. You know what your Daddy says when you come in, don't go back out.'
Mrs. Poleate described to councilmembers the agonizing moment she got that dreaded call, saying through tears, "I knew it wasn't a good call because no one calls us that late. When she called, she said is this Jezreel's mother, I said what, what, what, she said Jezreel is dead, all I could call on was the name of Jesus."
Thursday morning, two more families lost loved ones to gun violence. City Councilman Eugene Green said, "There was a double murder just this morning, more families victimized by crime just this morning, we can do better, and the family that is here today is an example as to why we must do better."
This week aims to help communities understand the effect victimization has on individuals, families, and the community, along with promoting laws, policies, and programs to help victims of crime.
Misty Frye with the New Orleans Family Justice Center said, "What is that we're missing, what is that we need, because to see in the city of New Orleans, we had a mass shooting... what has it come to? People are scared. People are scared to come outside."
Advocates say families are re-traumatized every time gun violence snatches someone else.
Tamara Jackson, with Silence is Violence, said, "When these things happen, it's exacerbated. Families are having a difficult time restructuring their normal day."
The Poleates are part of this week because gun violence touched their family in the worst possible way.
Mrs. Poleate said, "I don't want another father, another mother, sister, brother, grandmother, aunt, sister, going through what I am going through."
NOPD says no arrests have been made. There will be balloon releases for Jezreel this weekend.
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