Beaver County residents gather for vigil, memorial in call to end gun violence
BADEN, Pa. (KDKA) - Sunday afternoon, the Beaver County community shared a prayer to end gun violence in Baden.
Local organizations brought the community together for a vigil and visual memorial to bring awareness to what's become an epidemic in our country.
As Paul Leone and his wife, Terri, walked by a sea of colored t-shirts along Route 65, a few thoughts crossed his mind.
"Why does this happen? Why do we allow this to continue to happen?" Paul said. "Just the variety of ages from somebody 60 years old to children, seven, and teenagers."
There are nearly 60 shirts representing the number of lives cut short by gun violence in Western Pennsylvania from January to June of 2023. On each shirt, you can find the name, age, and date that person died by bullets.
An organization called Heeding God's Call to End Gun Violence created the memorial. Marilyn Mulvihill, who represents the group in the region, said it illustrates the reality of the problem.
"Too often when you hear of a shooting, when you hear someone being killed by a gun, it's somebody else, it's somewhere out there, it's not real to you," Mulvihill said.
They set it up in conjunction with a vigil on the Sisters of St. Joseph campus in Baden, where about 50 people joined in song, prayer, and spoken word.
Incoming Carnegie Mellon University junior and member of Students Demand Action Jayla Hemphill read a poem and statement she wrote.
"As we honor the memories of the fallen, let us remember that their lives were not lost in vain," Hemphill said.
Sarah Crotty is the sisters' community outreach coordinator.
"We believe that violence fractures relationships and diminishes human dignity," Crotty said.
These days it's hard to not feel the impact.
"I think we're always aware of the potential for danger," Paul said. "Whereas before, we just never really thought it."
"Especially in crowds, public places, it's always in the back of my mind," Terri added.
They hope by speaking out, it can bring attention to those up top who can make a change.
"Will the government and Congress finally act to help bring this terrible plague to an end?" Paul said.
The event came two weeks after the shooting deaths of two teens in Aliquippa and Ambridge. Eventually, their names will be added to this memorial, which will remain on display in Baden until August 10, 2023, and then move to Chippewa and New Brighton.