Mobile faith leaders calling for an end to the gun violence

By Ariel Mallory

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    MOBILE, Alabama (WALA) — Local faith leaders are pleading for an end to gun violence and no more silence.

A rally was held Monday with a clear message that the killing needs to stop.

At the rally local pastors were saying, enough is enough.

Reverend David Edwards President of People United to Advance the Dream was one of the people sharing that message Monday.

“The message is let’s lay the guns down no more silence, let’s end gun violence,” Edwards said.

After numerous shootings in Mobile already this year, faith leaders say this problem needs to be addressed now before more innocent lives are in jeopardy.

“You can never conquer what you’re unwilling to confront,” Edwards said. “We’ve got to be willing to confront this head-on. There are ways to resolve issues, problems, conflicts, differences. There are ways other than killing, shooting.”

Edwards hopes to work together alongside with police to get this problem under control.

Mobile Police Chief Paul Prine says people have had enough with the violence.

“This is what we will be doing going forward, and that’s working with our partners such as Pastor Edwards, is to ensure we get the message out that the community is fed up with violent crime,” Chief Prine said.

But hours before the chief spoke those words yet another shooting happened.

Just after 3:00 Monday afternoon, according to police a man fired shots at his ex-girlfriend and her children on Illinois Street.

A few moments later investigators say that same gunman was found also with a gunshot wound.

One of the witnesses, Joe Little, heard the gunshots and says people don’t speak up for a reason.

“To be honest with you these days in time the parents get mad at you if you say something to they child,” Little said. “So most folks don’t say nothing. I know they say see something say something, but most often times that gets you hurt.”

In response to people not speaking up Chief Prine says if you don’t, you could find yourself becoming the victim one day.

“When they give us information we don’t readily give out who gives us that information,” Chief Prine said. “What’s important for us is those individuals that are involved in the criminal activity, they may be offenders today but tomorrow become our victims.”

Both Reverend Edwards and Chief Prine said they would continue to have this strong presence in the community.

Until something can be done for people to lay the guns down.

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