Oakland residents and civic leaders counting on art to combat gun violence and bring peace to their streets

Fed up with seemingly unending gun violence plaguing their neighborhoods, Oakland residents and public officials are trying a softer approach to bring it to an end — through art, created by affected members of the community.

In 2020 the city experienced 102 killings due to gun violence, the most since 2012, according to the Oakland Police Department. This year has seen an even more violent rate, with 44 gun-related homicides through May 2.