‘We all want something done.’ Peace Walk promotes end to gun violence in Lexington.
As Lexington responds to a recent wave of gun violence, a crowd of people gathered in the rain Saturday to promote harmony at the Peace Walk.
“I’m tired of burying, doing funerals one after another,” said Pastor Joseph Owens, of Shiloh Baptist Church. “Too many bodies, too much pain, too much grief, and it’s taking too long.”
Owens said he came late to the event because he was holding a funeral for a 26-year-old man who died as a result of violence, though not a shooting. He gave a call for unity, telling attendees, “It doesn’t matter what color you are. It doesn’t matter what agency you represent. We all want something done, and we want it done now.”
Saturday’s Peace Walk and the resource fair associated with it was co-sponsored by the Fayette County sheriff’s office and the Antonio Franklin Jr. Violence Intervention Project.
Antonio Franklin’s mother, Anita Franklin, started holding Peace Walks after her son, an innocent bystander, was shot and killed at Duncan Park seven years ago. Before her own death last year, Franklin channeled her grief to become a tireless advocate against gun violence.
Her son Ricardo Franklin is following in her footsteps and has taken on the role of community outreach coordinator for the sheriff’s office.
“We have to come together as a community to stop gun violence, to stop all violence,” he told attendees Saturday.
“We have the resources to end this gun violence,” Sheriff Kathy Witt said. She urged people to keep “an ear to the ground” to help.
Zaria Clark, who lost her brother, echoed that.
“If you see something, say something,” she said. She said violence is “ruining happy homes that can’t be replaced.”
Gov. Andy Beshear, who spoke at Saturday’s event, said he got to know Anita Franklin when she joined the Survivors Council that advised him in his former role as state attorney general.
“She’d be really proud today,” that so many people turned out to support the cause, Beshear said.
“Let’s keep pushing. Let’s keep doing better,” he said. “I think we’re called to do it. Even the rain, I think, can’t keep out the love that we’re seeing here today.”
Participants marched a mile through the streets of the East End neighborhood.
As the marchers headed up Pemberton Street, they were greeted by Sharon Reed, 74, who sat on her front porch strumming an acoustic guitar.
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind.
“I couldn’t walk, so I figured I’d give them an appropriate song,” she said. “I had to do something.”
After the walk, attendees returned to Duncan Park, where mothers, grandmothers and siblings of people who died by gun violence pleaded for the community to take action to stop the bloodshed.
“We are losing too many loved ones,” said Andre Maxberry, who has lost a grandson and a nephew to shootings in the past year. “I don’t want to have to keep my grandkids in the house.”
“My son is gone, but I’m trying to save somebody else’s child,” said Cheryl Birch, whose son Jermaine “Hungry” Birch was 22 years old when he was shot and killed in 2009. “As you look around, you don’t know who’s going to be next.”
