ALTON – Leon Smallwood-Bey, president of the Alton Branch of the NAACP, on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, called on Alton residents, faith leaders, elected officials, business owners and community organizations to unite in a renewed commitment to ending violence in the city following the latest shooting death of 21-year-old Terrance Johnson in Alton.
In the appeal issued July 29, 2026, Smallwood-Bey urged the community to take specific steps to address violence, including mentoring young people, supporting violence prevention and intervention programs, attending community forums and rejecting violence as a way to resolve conflict.
“We cannot accept violence as the new normal,” Smallwood-Bey said. “Every child deserves the opportunity to grow up safely. Every family deserves peace. Every life matters.”
Smallwood-Bey said residents should “mentor and encourage our young people before they become victims of perpetrators,” support violence prevention and intervention programs throughout Alton, and work together to develop lasting solutions.
He also called on the community to “reject violence as a means of resolving conflict and choose dialogue, accountability and peace” and to help build “a culture where respect for life, compassion, and community responsibility can be valued every day.”
“The Alton NAACP will continue to advocate for meaningful investments in violence prevention, youth development, mentorship and community partnerships because lasting change requires sustained commitment from every sector of the community,” Smallwood-Bey said.
For additional information about partnering with the NAACP in violence initiatives, Smallwood-Bey said people can contact him at (618) 216-0941.
