Town hall meeting set for April 20 to discuss how to stop ‘tornado of violence’ sweeping through Selma

Dallas County Commissioner Connel Towns is hosting a Town Hall Meeting April 20 at Tipton Durant Middle School Gym to discuss how to curb gun violence in Selma.

The meeting will start at 6 p.m. and last until 7 p.m. and it is open to the public. Food and drinks will be available sponsored by Connel Towns Jr. and Sam’s Club. 

Towns said the purpose of the meeting is to discuss what can be done to help stop all of the violence and killing in Selma.  

“We talk about the damage that tornado did to our buildings,” Towns said. “Well, we are in a tornado of violence in Selma. Two young kids were killed within walking distance of my house. We need to come together as a community and make it stop.” 

Dallas County’s 2023 murder count is at 11, which is only four away from surpassing the total number of killings in 2022, and it’s only four months into 2023. 

Commissioner Curtis Williams added, “Parents need to talk to their kids and let them know this violence has to stop. Tell them to stop the violence.” 

Guests at the Town Hall Meeting will be State Rep. Prince Chestnut, Selma Police Chief Kenta Fulford, Dallas County Sheriff Mike Granthum, Probate Judge Jimmy Nunn, Selma Mayor James Perkins Jr., District Judge Vernetta Perkins, Circuit Judge Collins Pettaway Jr., State Senator Robert Stewart, District Attorney Robert Turner and Yusef Salaam. They will be joined by Selma City Council members and Dallas County Commissioners.