Anti-Violence Group Brings Joy To Their Neighborhood After Deadly Holiday Weekend In Baltimore
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Community leaders are taking action to bring joy to their neighborhood after a violent Memorial Day weekend in Baltimore.
Anti-violence group We Our Us put together a Summer Peace Rally in the Sandtown-Winchester neighborhood of West Baltimore.
The block party was spearheaded by people from the neighborhood and who even grew up on the street where the event was held -- Presstman Street. It's a corner some say is known for drug activity, but not on Monday.
Rapper Money Jake grew up on Presstman Street. Now he's back to share a positive message along with what he believes will stop the violence.
"We got too much time on our hands and we ain't got enough going on for us," he said. "We got no recs. Put us back in them recs man, get the dirt bike parks back open. We need more going on."
The block party is meant to promote peace in the city, with food, speakers and music bringing people together.
"Baltimore City—what we speak is what we get," said Pastor Ebony Harvin of the We Our Us. "I know that we will not have a bloody summer because we're going to be out here, and we need as many people as possible to come out and engage with us to help us to stop this senseless killing."
The group is focusing on pulling young men off the streets and providing them with resources so they'll turn away from crime.
"People need resources, but they need it right now," Pastor Corey Barnes of the We Our Us Movement. "We got to meet people where they are on - the corner and help them with the resources that they need."
A teenager, a woman, and two men were killed in Baltimore shootings over the weekend. More were shot, including a 15-year-old boy.
As of Monday morning, Baltimore has recorded 137 homicides—three more than the same time last year. Elderly people have been victims as well, like an 83-year-old woman who was shot last week when a stray bullet flew into her house.
81-year-old Annie Carter has lived on Presstman Street for nearly 30 years. She says while violence is bad - there's good there too.
"There's some good round here too, everybody's not bad, you know, everything is not bad, you know what I mean? crime is everywhere! Not only around here!"
Police are still investigating the shootings from over the weekend. Police want citizens who know about these acts of violence to call Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7Lockup.