LITTLE ROCK, Ark.-Coming together to heal, grieve and celebrate at the same time.
That’s was the common goal for dozens of people who say the violence needs to stop.
It was part of the first Stop the Violence Community Healing and Grieving Event hosted by Little Rock Native Gabriel Tolbert.
He wanted to find a different way to address all of the shootings and killings.
Many people say he’s on the right path and creating change for Central, Arkansas.
“Yall just sit back relax and lets try to put a stop to some of the violence in our community,” Gabriel Tolbert said.
On Sunday the community gathered at the Theressa Hoover United Methodist Church in Little Rock for food, live music and taking a step in a new direction.
“It’s been a homicide in the three days if I’m not mistaken or a shooting at least,” Tolbert said.
Even kids like Jordan Penn say it needs to stop.
“Everyday I wake up I hear something about a person dying so I really think it has to stop one way or another,” Penn said.
On Sunday people of all backgrounds called for change.
“My daughter La’Tija was murdered in a triple homicide on November 16th,” Larry Lucky said.
“I grieve for them just like they grieve for me,” Freddie Hinton said.
Police in the Capital City investigating several unsolved this year.
Freddie Hinton’s Uncle O.C. Winston was last month.
“I think justice is going to be served,” Hinton said.
So how can we stop the violence?
“I think what it’s going to take is for us older people to come together and grab these young youth and show them the right way,” Artenis Lewis said.
“Go at it with this here it’s okay if you lose…this here….aint no coming back from this here,” William Graves said.
Different approaches all aiming for the same outcome.
“I think it’s going to take the community coming together,” Nate Williams said.
Declaring victory over violence no matter how you say it.
“Past time for change It’s past time for change,” Leron McAdoo said.
Little Rock Police were also at the event.
Tolbert says he plans to continue his push for change and help the City of Pine Bluff next.
