North Lawndale Church Holds Peace Walk Following Mass Shootings
CHICAGO (CBS) -- St. Agatha Parish held a peace walk in Chicago's North Lawndale neighborhood in response to the two mass shootings that took place there on Wednesday.
"Individuals are being hurt. Families are being traumatized. Communities are being traumatized. And so, how do we address that trauma?" said Father Larry Dowling with St. Agatha Parish.
Dowling led the peace walk that was set to start at 7 p.m. They planned to distribute information about resources his church has to offer as well as reasure families in the neighborhood as well as reassure families in the neighborhood and engage with young people to offer tham an alternative to the violence so many are getting involved in.
He said it's not about condemning or pointing fingers but to let the families know that there are people who really care.
"It's painful mainly because I know that there are hurting families, there are hurting individuals, and there's a community that's in fear. And sometimes I worry that it's a community that has also become numb to the violence at times," Dowling said.
The walk for peace was scheduled to start at 7 p.m. at West 13th Street and South Christiana Avenue.
At the same time, Chicago Police Officers planned to be setting out not far from away at Douglas Boulevard and Christiana for Operation Wake Up to send the message guns will not be tolerated.