TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Local community and faith leaders are standing together asking for more to be done to help end gun violence.
Working to get lawmakers' attention, Bethel Missionary Baptist Church Pastor Rev. R. B. Holmes is working with community leaders on solutions to keep communities safe.
To start a call of consciousness meeting focused on gun violence and crimes in the Black community.
Followed by Holmes sending a letter to the Florida Delegation on what Congress needs to do for better gun reform.
Dr. Linda Fortenberry is the Director of Institutional Development at Bethel Missionary Baptist Church.
"We can no longer just sit back and give our thoughts and prayers but its time for action and how many lives how much blood has to be shed," Fortenberry said.
Shootings that local leaders hope to see less of with the following solutions:
- Restricting access to assault weapons
- Requiring universal background checks on all gun purchases
- Strengthening national background check laws relating to gun sales by holding all retailers accountable, not just licensed gun dealers
- Requiring all social media platforms to create a system that reports language of threats to yourself and others.
Curtis Taylor, President of the Tallahassee Urban League, is part of those conversations for solutions he says although many people from different neighborhoods are fighting for safer communities, there's one group he wants to hear more from.
"Where are the youth? Where are our young people," Taylor asked.
He says to see change, we have to work with the youngest in our community.
"Because they're the ones with the problem. They're the ones with the questions and the answers. They're the ones that we need to engage. They're the ones that we need to involve," Taylor said.
As for what steps will be taken locally following that call of consciousness meeting, Fortenberry says they are waiting to receive a response from the delegation.
