CSRA Community-In-Action held an event, march to “Stop the Gun Violence and Crime”

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – During a week that saw several acts of violence across the CSRA – including two 14-year-olds shot and killed – local organization CSRA Community-In-Action held an event at May Park aimed at looking for solutions.

Due to the rain, the march was held inside. However, the coordinators said the rain would not stop their mission.

“It takes a community to get involved and see what’s going on inside of our community,” said Rev. Anthony Walker, one of the CSRA Stop the Violence coordinators. “As you see, we have a coffin here. It’s too late to come after the fact that someone has been murdered. We need to be proactive inside of our community to make a stand to stop gun violence. We have serious issues going on right now in our community.”

Activists and families of victims of crimes involving guns were there to bring attention to an issue that has affected them and many others in the community.

“I decided to come today because my son was a victim of gun violence, and I feel that people should come to stuff like this because it’s getting bigger and bigger every day, and we are losing our babies to guns,” said Tequila Beasley, mother of gun violence victim Anthony Harris.

“I am here because my son was murdered here in Augusta back in 2010, and it took a large part of my life away,” said Joyce Porter, mother of a gun violence victim, Jeramie Hammonds. “And I just recently learned that his son was also shot, and it’s just too much violence going on, and something needs to be done about it. All I just want is for the gun violence to stop. It’s beginning to be a normal thing.  This is an everyday thing, and this shouldn’t be happening. We should be able to love our kids. Our kids should be without no problems. And some of them fear going to school because of the things that’s happening.”

If you want to attend any other events in support, you can join their prayer vigil on the fourth Sunday of each month at 2 pm at Minnick Park to pray for the community, people, and more.

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