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Faith and Blue Peace Walk held in Southwest Philadelphia
The violence in Philadelphia is surging while people are calling for peace and safety in their communities.
PHILADELPHIA - Dozens of people walked through Southwest Philadelphia Wednesday night to take a stand against the violence in the city.
"My brother, my son," said Angela Ford and her daughter Naquawn Hill.
They were walking for their loved one 31-year- old Elgin Battle who was killed July 16, 2021. They say he was barbequing with family and friends when he was shot in Bartram Village.
"A 14-year-old got shot and his kids got his blood all over them. It was bad," said Ford. She says they joined faith leaders and 12th District Police for a peace march Wednesday evening to stand up for her son and other victims of violence.
"I don't want my son to die in vain and I gotta do what's right," said Ford. They walked Woodland Avenue and through neighborhood streets to pray for the community.
"God keep your people and not just put the guns down but don't pick them up," said a woman in prayer. They also talked to people on neighborhood corners.
"You're not letting these kids have an opportunity to grow up," said a man. Captain Scott Drissel says the walk comes a day after a man was stabbed a block away from the police station.
"This is a very violent district historically. Right now, we're posting about a 14% decline in shooting victims right now so we're happy about that but there's a lot of work to be done here," he said. Police Chaplain Beverly Clayburn says it was important to walk through hotspots like 67th and Greenway.
"We want to make ourselves more visible than somebody just saying we're here," she said. Ford whose son left behind a four and two-year-old and has another one the way says she will no longer live in fear.
"I think a lot of people are scared. They're scared of what's going to happen or become if they say something, but fear is not an option," she said. Ford started a website for people with information that may help solve her son’s murder.
If you have any information about the murder of Elgin Battle, please click here.
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