Delaware County nonprofit holds peaceful anti-gun violence march in Drexel Hill
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- With song and prayer, dozens of people from the faith community gathered in Drexel Hill to say no to gun violence.
"Even though Philadelphia has a formidable challenge, so does Delaware County. Suburbs have gun violence problems as well," said Pastor Russell Atkinson, who works for the United Methodist Church in Drexel Hill.
To raise awareness, the group marched from the Incarnation Holy Sacrament Episcopal Church to Drexel Hill United Methodist Church about a mile away, where a large memorial stands out front.
There are 174 T-shirts representing each person lost to gun violence in Delaware County in the last five years.
"My best friend, her son was killed by an assault weapon. It's like an epidemic. And we need to protect our children," Deacon Diane Faison from St. Francis in the Fields said.
The people at this march believe laws need to be changed to prevent gun violence. They're urging people to write letters to their state and federal lawmakers demanding action.
"What we seek to do is, hopefully, eventually enact legislation that would limit individuals to the purchase of no more than a single handgun, in any 30-day period," Bryan Miller said.
Miller is the founder of Heeding God's Call, the nonprofit that organized the march. He said limiting handgun purchases would make gun trafficking less profitable to criminals, thereby reducing violent crime.
To him, the issue is personal. His brother, FBI agent Mike Miller, was shot and killed on the job decades ago.
"The most amazing thing is the shock of losing somebody that way to gun violence is something that never leaves. I'm still shocked that Mike was lost that way," Miller said.
Miller has since made it his mission to bring churches, synagogues and mosques together to fight for a safer tomorrow for everyone.