Latino leaders hosting meeting today on impact of gang violence

Latino community leaders are hosting a meeting today to address gang violence and its impact on the community.

The meeting will be at Centro Civico Mexicano, 155 S. 600 West, at 3 p.m.

"We as a Latino community need to take ownership of the (gang) problem," said Tony Yapias, director of Proyecto Latino de Utah. "We're concerned about it. ... We're speaking out against it."

Yapias said the meeting will serve as a gathering to bring parents and community leaders together to be more involved in keeping youths from gang involvement. It will also inform the community about the arrests announced Wednesday of 50 known illegal immigrant gang members, he said.

The meeting will also serve as the first stages in organizing a Latino community council to address issues of concern to the Latino community, he said.