The mother of a Birmingham girl who was the innocent victim of a gangland feud has joined police to warn teenagers about the dangers of guns and knives.
Nearly 100 young people from across Sutton Coldfield, Erdington, Kingstanding and Castle Vale gave up part of their school summer holidays to attend the presentation.
It was led by PC Rob Pedley from West Midlands Police’s firearms department, young person officer PC Paul Emms and Marcia Shakespeare, whose daughter Letisha was murdered ten years ago.
Letisha, 17, and her cousin Charlene Ellis, 18, were both killed outside a hairdressing salon in Aston on January 2, 2003,
The story of the tragic deaths is used to de-glamourise gang culture.
PC Paul Emms said: “This presentation isn’t just about police officers standing talking at young people and telling them what they should and shouldn’t be doing.
“It is a presentation where they can watch real life examples and discuss any of their own experiences with us. Sometimes there are myths and a glamourisation of the gun, knife and gang culture.
“Marcia’s helps to dispel these and show the tragic consequences that this kind of crime can lead to.”
The presentation has already been delivered to more than 20,000 young people across the West Midlands.
