By Monica Harkins, WTVQ
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – Lexington activists are holding a ‘Stop the Violence’ rally Tuesday to bring awareness to the high rate of homicides for 2021.
This year, Lexington police has reported 15 homicides, including two this weekend. This is on pace to top 2020’s record year of 34.
Gun violence victim’s families are expected to speak and share the stories of their loved ones followed by a processional of symbolic hearses.
BUILD, Building a United Interfaith Lexington through Direct-Action, is hosting the event. The group is a diverse, multi-issue coalition of 26 member congregations in Lexington.
Pastor Richard Gaines of Consolidated Baptist Church is with BUILD and he says he hopes people realize gun violence is a community wide problem and it takes the community to help end it.
“We just want to get the community as involved as possible because we’re convinced that it’s going to take the whole community to solve this problem,” he said.
A symbolic processional of hearses and cars is scheduled to start around 6:40 p.m. from Shiloh Baptist Church.
Gaines says he hopes there’s a gravity felt when the hearses drive through Lexington.
“With each story, the future is affected because the young men and young women had a future. Some of them had families as well, all of which adversely affected by the loss of life, no matter how it happened. So we’re trying to bring some, some realism to the situation,” he said.
The rally is expected to start at 6 p.m. at Shiloh Baptist Church, 237 E. Fifth Street in Lexington.
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