CHICAGO — During a peace rally and march on Chicago’s South Side, hundreds came together to call for an end to gun violence.
The march was held at Saint Sabina Church in Auburn Gresham on Friday night.
“We gather to refuse to accept violence as a norm,” Rev. Michael Pfleger, from the Faith Community of Saint Sabina, said.
Hundreds gathered to fight for unity and change, pleading with those committing gun crimes to stop the violence.
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“We are out here because we want the killing to stop. We don’t want it to continue. There’s too many broken hearts out here,” Tonya Burch, who lost two sons to gun violence said.
Burch said her sons, Deonte Smith and Javier Bburch, were both killed in separate shootings in 2009 and 2021.
“We are out here to let people know they are not alone, and everything don’t have to stop at death,” Burch said.
It is a pain Burch said she wouldn’t wish on anyone, but for many in the crowd, it is a pain they know all too well.