GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — When a community experiences gun violence, experts say it can start a pattern of retaliation and retribution. At Save A Life A Day Outreach (SALAD) in Grand Rapids, organizers are reaching out to young people to try to break the cycle of violence.
William McFadden started SALAD eight years ago after he realized he could help change kids’ lives by just getting involved.
“I talked to one kid before, and he told me what was going on. And he said I helped him, and so I was like, 'Wow, if I can get one child, I can save ... I can try to reach out to more,'” said McFadden.
Sunday night after a 15-year-old was shot and killed, William started reaching out when he heard that retaliation might happen.
“When they came to me, they were very heartbroken because it was a friend of theirs. So, at the same time, I actually encouraged them to, you know, not to take the wrong choice, not to take the wrong path, retaliate behind a situation.”
William says it will take a village to break the cycle of violence and it only takes a little time to change a kid’s life, saying, “We don't want to keep just losing lives. And you know, one life is taken, and another life is taken behind a situation where you know it; we definitely needed that village, and I'm screaming for that village.”
William says that his program and others like it are the key to keeping kids on the right path and stopping gun violence.
READ MORE: 'He stood over his body': Witnesses describe violent murder of 15-year-old boy Sunday
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