KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Mt. Zion, Baptist Church members marched Wednesday night in the neighborhood where the city's 10th homicide occurred.
A hearse is often used following a death of a loved one.
"Nobody wins when deaths are involved, you know, especially if it's senseless," Jason Berry said.
Berry lost a relative last weekend following a shooting on Kalamazoo's northside. Police identified the relative as Kenneth Woodward Jr., who was found with gunshot wounds near West Prouty & Union Streets. He later died at the hospital.
Police add that a second person was injured in that shooting.
"There's no need for it, you know, because nobody wins when it comes to that," Berry added.
Berry and other church members marched for half a mile.
"We want to do is raise the consciousness of our community, really want to impact our communities and show that there's another side," Pastor Addis Moore told FOX 17.
The hearse lead the way.
"It comes into the community, and when someone's dead, it comes to pick them up. So we really want individuals to know that this is what's happening. Our children are being killed," Moore added.
In Kalamazoo, there have been ten recorded homicides this year. Nine of them are because of a shooting.
Moore adds that he hopes people see the hearse as what their lives could be if they turn to gun violence.
"We want folks to see it before, so hopefully we can stop it," Moore said.
Their march ended at Krom and Prouty Park.
"I believe that the church has the answer. Jesus has sent us to be the answer to a broken world and to send hope and healing. And that's what we're going to do today; as we hit the streets, we're going to bring hope and healing," Moore said.
"Nobody wins when it comes to violence," Berry said. He adds that they're looking for the person who killed his relative.
Anyone with information is asked to call the police or remain anonymous by calling Silent Observer.
