LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Hand in hand, community activists joined at Flaget Field Park for a peace and prayer vigil in response to violence in Louisville.
About 50 community members attended the vigil in the Chickasaw neighborhood in the west end. Speakers took to the microphone to sing in prayer or deliver a message.
The Saturday evening vigil was the third one third one since a mass shooting at the Russell nightclub, H20 Lounge, in June that left one dead and seven injured.
Leaders hosting the event have a continued call to end violence in the city.
"My call to action is for us to continue to communicate with each other so that together, we can face the ills of violence in our community," said Ray Barker, "Sir Friendly C," the community organizer who put on the event.
This is Jamiesha Jones' first prayer vigil.
"The community is not how it was when I was growing up, where a village helped raise the children," Jones said.
She said times have changed since she was a kid.
"I remember when I could ride a bike and didn't have to worry about someone riding past with some type of violence or animosity," Jones said.
Christen Dublin, who has been to the three prayer vigils this summer, agreed. He said gun violence is rising and the "notorious" gun shots ring now more than in the past.
Violence is all over the Metro, said community activist Alex Head.
"As we've been seeing over the past couple years, violence has been happening all through the city," Head said.
There's heightened attention on Louisville nightlife with the recent shooting on Baxter Avenue that left two dead.
"Go out with the idea of going out and having fun, not starting stuff," said DeWayne Harris, a community activist.
Deon Smith, a community activist, echoed that sentiment.
"Everybody wants to go out and enjoy themselves, nobody wants to be out dodging bullet," Smith said.
Both Head and Smith call for changes to open carry gun laws in Kentucky.
A common theme from the event was an emphasis on raising the youth.
“You just got to get to the minds of these youth. If you could get there, you can change it," Head said, and added he was a victim of gun violence in 2011.
“We can come together more as a village and watch over these children and their behavior," Smith said.
Officers from Louisville Metro Police also took part in the vigil.
"We're increasing patrols in those areas where we've seen an increase in violence," said LMPD Officer Jeremy Livers.
He added that one issue is of LMPD staffing.
"The problem is, we are short handed," Livers said. "So we get there when we can."
At the heart of this vigil is a prayer for peace, but attendees had a strong call to action."
“We need to unify. We need to come away from our indifferences – black, white, poor, rich, Baptist, Muslim – and come together as human," said GM Khalid Raheem, a community activist.
Jones said it's about both role models and community leaders.
"First, we need to find enough leaders to lead the way," Jones said. "Then, maybe enough people can follow."
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