Instead of youth curfews, here’s how to get serious about violence prevention

Tighter curfews for minors heading to Millennium Park won’t solve the problem of young people becoming victims of gun violence, civic and faith leaders write. (Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times)

Last weekend, 16-year-old Seandell Holliday was shot to death in Millennium Park — one of the prime tourist locations in Chicago. He is the 30th person under the age of 20 to die from violence this year, but the first to prompt a large-scale response from our elected officials. Mayor Lori Lightfoot has imposed a 6 p.m. curfew for unaccompanied minors in Millennium Park from Thursday through Sunday, and a 10 p.m. citywide curfew for minors on weekends.

As pastors and community leaders, we share the sense of urgency this tragedy brings, though we are frustrated that the dozens of deaths of young people in our neighborhoods this year, and hundreds more in recent years, have not led to a comprehensive response.