Columbia’s Office of Violence Prevention head to outline goals at Democratic group meeting

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The City of Columbia’s new Office of Violence Prevention administrator will speak at the monthly meeting of the Muleskinners Democratic club Friday, outlining his goals and vision for the office.

The meeting was held at the Boone County Democratic Headquarters on Vandiver Drive.

D'Markus Thomas-Brown, who began the role on March 31, is the first person to lead the newly created office established as part of the city’s 2025 fiscal budget.

Mayor Barbara Buffaloe created the office after a three-year-old was shot and killed in Columbia.

Since then, several shootings have taken place in Columbia.

On May 27, an 18-year-old man was shot and killed on the 1300 block Frideriki Drive, just outside the north Columbia city limits. A 16-year-old boy was taken into custody and charged with second-degree murder, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon.

Cpt. Brian Leer with the Boone County Sheriff's Office said two groups met up to fight in the neighborhood and several teens were armed.

Just over a week earlier, on May 18, Derek Gonzalez, 32, of Columbia was shot and killed near the McDonald's on Nifong Boulevard in south Columbia. Thomas-Brown told ABC 17 News the shooting stemmed from a road rage incident. No charges have been filed..

On May 15, a youth was shot on 2100 block of Meadowvale Court and suffered injuries that were not life-threatening.

Since 2015, Thomas-Brown says he has wrote down the names of everyone who has lost their lives to gun violence and says his role leading the Office of Violence Prevention is personal.

"The thing about this is everyone of these individuals I have known personally," Thomas-Brown said.

Thomas-Brown has been in the role for just over two months and has laid out his top three priorities for his first year in office.

"Neighborhood based organizations, intervention into the youth violence and third is parental engagement," Thomas-Brown said.

Part of the office’s broader mission includes community enrichment, an effort to build stronger neighborhoods by addressing the deeper issues that lead to violence.

"That stream is going to flow even though i pull that fish out, and thats the notion well if we arrest our way out, you're not gunna arrest way your out of it, as we have seen other fish are going to be in that stream and they are going to poison folks," Thomas-Brown said.

He says early intervention is key, especially when it comes to the challenges children face at home and in their environment.

"Adverse childhood experiences are both environmental and mental, thats why I likee to talk about community enrichment," Thomas-Brown said.

To put his plan into action, Thomas-Brown says building trust within the community is essential.

He believes that trust starts with stronger partnerships between law enforcement, community groups, and local organizations.

Thomas-Brown says he's already working with Columbia Public Schools and local officers to bridge gaps and foster collaboration.

"If I get 2% that's great but I'm aiming for 10%. I want to see what Toledo is seeing. I want 60% drop in homicides in four years," Thomas-Brown said. "Columbia is a great community, as along as we stop dividing,"