‘Think before you act’: Jackson prayer vigil held at site of teen shooting
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - A prayer vigil was held Saturday at the site where two teens were shot a week ago , an event organizers said was meant to fight back against gun violence in Jackson. Jackson firefighters, church leaders, community members and Councilman Kenneth Stokes attended the vigil at Sunset Apartments, the site of the shooting. “We want to send a message that we’re here for the young people,” said Joe-Ann Thomas, who attended the vigil. “They think no one’s for them so there’s nowhere to turn. The two victims at Sunset Apartments were 17 and 18 years old. Cedrick Mosley, the 18-year-old, later died from his injuries. Stokes urged parents to do more to stop crime in the city. “Protect your children, get the guns from them, get them off the street, get them out of harm’s way,” Stokes said. “We cannot tolerate guns in the hands of children.” Want more WLBT news in your inbox?
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Scoop News DeskJackson, Mississippi · Published Updated
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Vigil attendees call for reflection before action Taking more time to think and talk things out was what those attending the prayer vigil said will save lives. “Think before you act, think, count to 10, do something but do not retaliate,” said Lydia Griffin. “Somebody has to be bigger than the guns.” Thomas called on every Jackson community to keep a closer eye on the youth. “If we see something, we need to say something,” Thomas said. “We need to create organizations to take care of our youth because they don’t have anything to do here in the city of Jackson.” Homicide numbers and councilman’s message Homicides in Jackson are 31% higher than this time last year, with 64 people killed.
