Toledo names manager of gun violence initiative

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz has announced his selection for program manager of his initiative to curb gun violence in the Ohio city.

Kapszukiewicz selected former professional football player and Toledo native JoJuan Armour, 44, to lead the cities first comprehensive approach to address the root causes of gun violence as a public health crisis, the Blade reported.

Kapszukiewicz said Monday that Armour’s misdemeanor criminal record was considered in the decision and was viewed to be advantageous for the task at hand.

“We did not believe that his background prevented him from serving in this position, and in fact, in a counterintuitive way, some of the experiences he had made him the best possible person to hire into this job,” Kapszukiewicz said. “Someone with the resume of an altar boy or a Boy Scout wouldn’t be able to relate as well to the folks that this position has to relate to. This was a decision that we made with eyes wide open.”

Armour’s record includes three impaired driving convictions and disorderly conduct charges.

Kapszukiewicz said that leading this initiative is “absolutely different” than other city jobs, in reference to Armour’s record.

“For a position like this, it was more important to us that we had someone who had authentic life experiences that would make him relatable to the people he’ll be working with,” Kapszukiewicz said.