Pamela Bosely plans on celebrating her son, Terrell Bosley’s, 25th birthday Saturday, Jan. 5.
But she must do it at a cemetery where she buried him in 2006 when he was gunned down while leaving choir rehearsal at his South Side church.
“I will never see him smile again,” she said while wiping away tears. “And he had a beautiful smile.”
She was among a host of parents, elected officials and community leaders, who joined Mayor Rahm Emanuel at a Jan. 3 news conference at St. Sabina Church on the South Side urging state lawmakers create “sensible” gun laws that would track gun transfers, ban assault weapons and limit the purchase of ammunition.
Annette Holt’s son, Blair, was shot dead in 2007 while riding a CTA bus home from Percy Julian High School on the South Side.
“No mother should have to go through the ordeal of knowing your child was violently taken away from you,” Holt said. “And it has only gotten worse since my son’s death.”
Blair’s father is Ronald Holt, director of the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy, who said he too favors stricter gun laws to help reduce violence.
For his part, Police Supt. Garry McCarthy, who was joined by the Rev. Jesse Jackson, encouraged everyone to contact their state legislators and tell them to vote for reasonable gun laws.
“Weak guns laws is what separate Chicago for other large, urban cities,” McCarthy said. “(For example) in 2012 we took nine guns off the street for every one gun in New York. In total, the Chicago police confiscated 7,400 guns in 2012 including 300 assault weapons. I tell you, we are drinking from a fire hose and something has to be done about it now.”
Emanuel agreed.
“These parents here today have to go to the cemetery not to visit their kids, but their tombstones,” the mayor said. “Gone are those days when they could look them in their eyes and tell them they love them. Now, all they have are images to stare at and not a person to hug and kiss.”
Alderman Latasha Thomas, whose 17th ward includes Auburn Gresham, said conceal and carry laws would contribute to the violence in her ward.
“Unfortunately, Auburn Gresham is one of the most violent communities on the South Side. If more guns are allowed on the street it would no doubt spike the shootings in my ward,” explained Thomas. “People are angry these days. They have no job, no money and are stressed out, and you mean to tell me that is the type of person you want to legally be able to carry a gun? I don’t think so.”
This article was originally published January 3, 2013 by DNAinfo.com/Chicago.
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