City leaders are spending millions on gun violence prevention and community members are also rolling up their sleeves to target the gun violence crisis.

"Our whole focus is that our young men make it home at night," said Lionel Irving, founder, and director of Love is Stronger, "gun violence, if you’re a black man in Portland, since these last few months, we have not stopped feeling it. I’m sad right now."

This event was held to ask the community to "put down the guns" this weekend.

With a focus on educating the youth.

"This is where gun violence is going to change, happen at. I’m 40 years old. These guys are 15, 16 years old, those are the age of the shooters," Irving said.

The group's mission statement also mentions lowering the number of gang members.

"We lost so many people. These people lost their friends. Something I don’t think people realize is, gang members, is a generational thing. So if we know guys who are gang members, then we need to talk to their kids," Irving said.

This event was held less than 24 hours after a woman was shot and killed at Wallace Park last night, according to police.

"Disheartening. But what it did, was give me more of a sense of urgency to combat and be on the front lines, get more kids involved, that’s the only way we’re going to stop it," Irving said.

And some of those kids were at the event today.

When Lionel asked them how they would respond if a friend told them they were going to go shoot someone:

"Are you ready to sit down for the rest of your life? Because you’re protecting yourself, but in a sense, but you’re also there’s consequences behind that for him," said Cormani Barrera, a soldier of love.

"Put it down, if you ever feel like something like that’s going to happen, reach out to a loved one or someone like me or like you for help," said Jaamir Roberson, also a soldier of love.