FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 24, 2025
Contact:
Speak Out Illinois LLC
Email: support@speakoutillinoisllc.com
Phone: (309) 981-7233
SOUTH PEKIN, IL — We are heartbroken, frustrated, and ashamed. Another Illinois community is in mourning after the recent double homicide in South Pekin — and once again, a young adult under the age of 25 is in custody for an unspeakable act of violence.
Let that settle for a moment. A young person. Someone not yet 25. Involved in the taking of two lives.
This is more than a tragedy — it’s a systemic failure. When our young adults are lost to violence — whether as victims or perpetrators — we cannot sit idle. We are witnessing the result of years of neglect: untreated trauma, poverty, underfunded schools, and a criminal justice system that punishes more than it prevents.
Speak Out Illinois LLC extends our deepest condolences to the victims’ families. But we will not stop at grief. We are angry because this is preventable. And we are ashamed because it keeps happening.
Let’s be honest:
We’ve normalized violence among young adults as if it’s inevitable.
We’ve failed to provide adequate mental health support, job opportunities, and safe environments.
We’ve turned our backs on whole generations and then act shocked when they break.
The truth is simple and painful: when young people are killing, it's a reflection of a society that didn’t step in soon enough.
We demand urgent action:
Major investment in trauma-informed care and mental health access for all under 25.
Community-based violence prevention programs designed by and for young adults.
A statewide expansion of mentorship, reentry, and workforce development programs.
The safety of our communities depends on how we treat — and protect — our future. We owe these young adults more than headlines and handcuffs. We owe them hope, structure, and the chance to heal.
This tragedy is not isolated to South Pekin — it’s a mirror for all of Illinois. And it’s time we stop looking away.
