Staff report

COLUMBUS — Youngstown Mayor Jamael Tito Brown and Police Chief Robin Lees joined other mayors and chiefs from around Ohio on Thursday to urge state lawmakers to support gun reform.

The group met with legislative leaders to urge their support for Gov. Mike DeWine’s plan to reduce gun violence.

Following the Aug. 4 mass shooting in Dayton, Nan Whaley, that city’s mayor, called for action.

“Ohioans in Dayton and across the state want their elected officials to do something to address gun violence,” she said. “Now is the time to answer that call and get dangerous weapons out of the hands of dangerous people.”

The group supports improved background checks and giving law enforcement the ability to intervene if someone with a dangerous weapon shows homicidal behavior.

This was organized by the Ohio Mayors Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of mayors from the state’s largest cities.

Other mayors and police chiefs at the event were from Cincinnati, Columbus, Kettering, Lancaster, Lima, Middletown and Springfield.