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It’s no secret violent crime is an issue in Kansas City. Just over the weekend, three children were shot at the Country Club Plaza and an 18-year-old was fatally shot in the 11600 block of Richmond.
Kansas City Health Department’s Aim4Peace is taking a stand Aug. 19 with Walk4Life.
“Walk4Life brings concerned residents and community partners together to show that we want an end to the shootings and killings,” Kansas City Mayor Sly James said in a press release. “We are committed to bringing peace on our streets.”
Walk4Life will be held from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Central High School track located at the intersection of Linwood and Indiana. Walk4Life will kick off with a rally followed by a peace walk at 7:45 p.m. Attendees are asked to wear white shirts and to sign a “commitment to peace” agreement.
“One of the really big things they’re (Aim4Peace) hoping to do is bring attention to the violence that’s going on and the need for people to step up and commit to not letting it happen,” Kansas City Public Information Officer Jim Hershberger told Northeast News.
One of Aim4Peace’s main goals is to prevent retaliatory violence, Hershberger said. When violent crimes occur, families of the victim usually want to punish the family of the perpetrator and consequently, the violence escalates, he said.
Aim4Peace tries to talk to families on both sides to stop retaliation before it starts, Hershberger said.
For more information about Walk4Life, call Aim4Peace at (816) 513-7916 or (816) 513-7919 or email aim4peace@kcmo.org.
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