LAWTON, Okla_Almost 200 Lawton residents hit the
streets of The View Monday to march against the escalating violence that is
plaguing the neighborhood. Pastors, community leaders, victims of violence and
concerned citizens started the march with a prayer at Harkey
Park, near 17th and Roosevelt.
The crowd then marched down 16th Street
to the Sanders Heights Apartment complex, where 27 year Tanya Zachary was
murdered last month. They formed a
prayer ring around the building asking for an end to the violence.
It was one of
hope, solidarity and sorrow. We were able to march down the streets next to the
tearful family of Deangelo Hurd, who was murdered in August in The View. We also
met the mother and sister of Kenneth Young, who was killed outside the Dew Drop
Inn in September. These families say they joined the march to put a face to the
senseless violence, and be a part of the call from local pastors to end it.
As the crowd
formed a human chain around the Sanders
Heights apartment
building, pastors asked for spiritual guidance in this war on crime that's
claimed the life of too many.
Benicia Porter
whose cousin, Deangelo Hurd, was murdered said she was overcome with emotion.
"That
meant a lot to my family. because, you
don't have a lot of people that come out
in the community and get involved in things like this because they're afraid but
as long as you have God on your side, that's enough, because God is going to
always have your back regardless."
Porter said its
a loss she hopes most people will never feel, but Shaquita Young has felt that
pain. Her brother Kenneth, was also murdered. She said she thinks Monday's
prayer walk will make an impact on the neighborhood.
"I told my
sister in law that this might stop a little bit of the stuff that's going on to
see that a lot of people did come out here, not scared to come to Sanders Heights."
Pastor Sam Moyd
said today's turnout created a crack in the wall of fear that has gripped this
community for too long.
"This
showed us that if the community comes together with the pastors and the police
a three-fold chord is not easily broken and we're going to be well on our way
to helping solve some of the crime in the community."
Pastor Moyd said he wants to thank the community and Lawton police for
marching. In fact, it's the first of three marches pastors are planning for
areas in Lawton devastated by violence.
Pastor Moyd said the dates and locations of those marches will be
finalized Thursday.
