Community Marches For End to Violence
WILKINSBURG (KDKA) -- People in one local neighborhood used Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior's message of peace to call for an end to the violence that's been plaguing their community.
Some residents held hands, sang songs and prayed as they marched through the street today.
Hoping to reach the youth of their community, they marched to Wilkinsburg Senior High School with a cross bearing the names of the young people who have lost their lives to violence.
Rev. Richard Payne from the Wilkinsburg Church of Nazarene said they wanted to send a message to the youth. "There are people here concerned about them," Rev. Payne added, "interested that they live a full and happy life."
Kevin Patterson's son was murdered back in 2006 in Chicago, just shy of his 19th birthday. Now a member of the organization, MAD DADS, he told KDKA that he hopes their message will make a difference and help bring an end to the violence.
"A part of my heart died and I'll never get it back," Patterson added, "but I try to come out here to try to help maybe catch one person's heart, maybe many -- try to prevent the same thing from happening to them."
Those gathered today said they know it's going to be a tough battle; but they said, peace is definitely worth the fight.
