Mayor Sylvester Turner's new Commission Against Gun Violence convened for the first time Thursday.
The mayor recognized organizers of Houston's March for Our Lives movement for really spearheading a collaborative effort to find safe solutions against gun violence in local schools and communities.
“I want them to feel safe to walk out of their homes and not be scared to go to church or to a concert or school,” said Ariel Hobbs, a University of Houston student.
Fellow appointee Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez says they have to be realistic with their approach, but dialogue is the first step.
“It's obviously a broader discussion, a bigger debate, and I think there are things we can do locally and there are things that frankly fall outside of our purview a little bit,” the sheriff told reporters afterward.
“I think the message is simply that the status quo is unacceptable, we're seeing way too many incidents.”