MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Wednesday Memphis police announced the arrest of three gang members in the shooting death of a seven-year-old girl.
WREG met with a man who dedicates his life to helping young men and fighting gang violence in Memphis.
Jeffery Ryan Futrell, or “J.R.,” told WREG he is the president of Young Man University which is an academic and cultural readjustment firm.
He worked with young men in the community, juvenile court, prison and schools.
“It’s not even about snitching. A child was killed in my community. I’m obligated to bring that information to the forefront,” Futrell said, referring to the recent shooting deaths of two girls, aged seven and fifteen.
Futrell had a different message for the two young girls’ families.
“My first thought is to pray that they understand there is no closure for this. It’s a mythical term,” Futrell said.
More than 20 years later, Futrell said he continues to struggle with the pain of losing his young daughter to gun violence.
It was the catalyst that made him choose a different path.
“My mistakes, it’s like the poison in snake venom. It has the antidote,” he said.
He was once a Crip.
But now he has dedicated his life to keeping young men out of gangs.
“Gangs win by attrition. They wear out programs,” he said. ” Gangs are not programs. They’re systems.”
That’s when he told us about G.R.A.S.S.Y. in Shelby County Schools.
That is “Gang Resistance for Saving Society’s Youth.”
He said some young people’s bad behavior is not new.
He added the community needs to be more consistent than gangs, through listening and praising positive behavior.
Futrell described to WREG how he thanked young people for being willing to speak with him.
He thanked young men for tucking their shirts in even if he knows they will pull their shirttails out immediately after leaving him.
He said over time, that encourages growth.
Futrell said relationship-building is the goal.
“So, here we are today, with two little girls killed. And we’ll do the ritual funeral thing, but what’s the more relevant question, is what do we do next,” Futrell said.
He told WREG that Young Men University is 13 years old.
Futrell has worked with SCS and G.R.A.S.S.Y. for five years.
It has contributed to a 66% reduction in gang-involved youth.