Gun violence addressed at event held Saturday at DaySpring Baptist Church in NE Gainesville
DaySpring Baptist Church again hosted its Fight Against Gun Violence event after a pause of several years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our goal is to bring attention to the gun violence in our community,” said the Rev. Dr. Marie Herring, pastor of the church. “We want to provide healing to those who lost loved ones to COVID-19 and and gun violence. Music is the universal language to bring people together and we are providing services to everyone in the community and having fun.”
Her daughter Nikki Herring and Pastor Gerard Duncan of Prayers By Faith Ministries served as emcees for the event held Saturday on DaySprings' grounds at 1945 NE Eighth Ave.
It featured vendors providing information about the services they provide, a clothes giveaway and a free fish fry.
“This is extremely important to our ministry,” said Annette Burkett, lead coordinator of the church's outreach ministry. “This is a chance to engage and form relationships with our community. It’s rewarding to be able to help other people, especially during these times we’re living in.”
The Orlando chapter of the Buffalo Soldiers and Troopers Motorcycle Club made a grand entrance, and the chapter’s chaplain, Paula “Soldier Girl” Edwards, said it is important for the chapter to give back to the community through it's three pillars, which are to ride, educate and serve.
“This is a great opportunity to nurture our community and anyway we can help, we will do it,” Edwards said.
Wayne Nesmith, the chapter’s road captain, donated $150 dollars to the church.
Jalia Richardson, 5, recited a poem titled “I am Somebody,” which was followed by a speech by Alachua County School Board member Leanetta McNealy.
Other speakers included Rodney Long, president of the Martin Luther King Jr. Commission of Florida, Superintendent Kenyarda Feathers, pastor of Williams Temple Church of God and Christ who spoke on behalf of Community Hospice and Palliative Care, and Deputy Cary Gallop of the Alachua County Sheriff's Office and coordinator of ASCO's radKids program.
Some of the vendors included the NAACP, ASCO, Gainesville Police Department, Moms Demand Action, Gainesville Thrives, Community Hospice and Palliative Care, Community Weatherization Coalition, Swarthy East, LifeSouth Bloodmobile and the Alachua County Health Department.
Gun violence: GPD, ASO close year of increased gun violence, including teens firing and being shot
There were performances by the DaySpring New Testament Dancers and the D.R. Band and Soul Fire.
“Remember all the folks who sacrifice to make a difference,” said Lonnie Scott, chief of the Gainesville Police Department. “It is all our responsibility to help the community.”
Police arrested a man Thursday for his involvement in a shooting at Woodland Park Apartments in southeast Gainesville that left a juvenile dead.
D’Angelo Latrell Deed, 20, has been charged with one count of murder and one count of robbery, according to a social media post by GPD. Deed is being held in the Alachua County Department of the Jail.
The age and name of the victim have yet to be released. He died on Aug. 10 after being transported to a hospital.
So far in 2023, at least seven people have been killed with a gun and had their death ruled a homicide by GPD. Last year, the number was nine.
Between July 1, 2021, to July 1, 2022, there were a total of 131 shootings locally. That number rose to 154 during the same time frame from 2022 to 2023, according to the GPD.
Gainesville Sun staff writer Nora O'Neill contributed to this story.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Fight Against Gun Violence event hosted again by NE Gainesville church
