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5-year-old shooting victim to share her story at ‘Stop the Violence’ event

Posted at 5:29 PM, Oct 11, 2019
and last updated 2019-10-11 17:29:47-04

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- A 5-year-old girl who was shot this past Monday  will share her story at a "stop the violence" event this weekend.

It’s organized by the girl's grandmother, Vicky Thomas and her church. Police and city leaders are expected to take part.

Thomas says that on Monday night the girl was hiding in a closet at her home on St. Charles Avenue when she was hit in the arm.

The child was taken to the hospital the next morning where doctors found multiple bullet wounds in her arm.

Her grandmother said she's just happy her granddaughter is alive and she hopes that the violence in the city will stop.

"I'm thankful I will continue to run this race because I don't have to go to no funeral for this five year old baby," Thomas said.

On Sunday, Thomas and her pastor will open up the discussion on how to stop the violence.

"It's time to stop the violence and put down the weapons and talk things out," saidPastor of Lamb of God Church, Lawrence McFall Jr.

"We have lost even people in our church," he says. "We just lost our keyboard player in gunfire and it's a hurting thing, just like the little baby that was just shot, just an innocent bystander that's caught in the crossfire," says Pastor McFall.

There have been 13 homicides in Grand Rapids in this year. Officers at the Grand Rapids Police Department say they plan to be a part of the discussion to curb the violence.

"One is too many and instead of bogging down into the numbers, really looking at no matter what the number is if it's more than zero it's unacceptable and we're just not going to tolerate it," said Sgt. Dan Adams.

Thomas added she will keep up this fight in hopes of saving young lives.

"I believe this is a way to gear our youth and we're trying to put the help in place," Thomas said.

If you would like to participate in that discussion it will happen at the Lamb of God church on Sunday at 10 a.m. For more information click here.