By Abbey Niezgoda
aniezgoda@abc6.com
As the memorial grows and the search continues for the killer of three people inside a Providence apartment, city and state leaders gathered to address the rise in violence.
"This recent act of mass murder, and make no mistake, that's what it is, mass murder, is a message to law enforcement," Col. Steven O'Donnell of the Rhode Island State Police said.
Their plan involves three initiatives. First, they plan to beef up the staff at the Institute for Nonviolence. Second, they will expand Project Night Vision come September. Finally, they will launch crime watch groups using volunteers from different neighborhoods.
"They will sense that we do not condone or tolerate it," Teny Gross of the Institute for Nonviolence said. "That day will come and the violence will subside."
ABC6 sat down with someone who used to be a part of the violence to ask whether or not he thinks the plan will work.
"I was serving a 20 year prison sentence for 2nd degree murder," Sal Monteiro explained.
In the last 8 years he has been out of jail, Monteiro has been focusing his efforts nonviolence. He says it is something that is possible for others especially with this added help.
"I'm a living testament that if you go out and get the right resources, and you want better for your life, you can make things happen," Monteiro said.
In order to put an end to this up tick in violence, Monteiro says police have to find those who are responsible, otherwise he thinks it will only breed more.
Of the 12 homicides in Providence this year, 8 are still unsolved.
"We can do more work, because work is happening," Monteiro said. "Even with this latest string of violence, that's not stopping us."
