ST. LOUIS — St. Louis leaders, violence prevention advocates and residents walked through the Dutchtown neighborhood in south St. Louis to exhibit unity in stopping crime on Saturday.
Responding to tragic losses to gun violence and other crimes throughout the city, this was yet another effort toward peace and unity.
Mayor Tishaura Jones, alongside other local leaders, is spearheading initiatives aimed at tackling the root causes of deadly violence in the community.
Michele Jacobson, who tragically lost her son David Harmon to gun violence, reflected on the ongoing nightmare.
"Terrible. It seems like we're still in a nightmare," Jacobson said.
Her son, who would have turned 31, was fatally shot in Dutchtown last December.
Her daughter Danielle Harmon echoed the sentiment, expressing profound grief over the loss of her brother.
"I've lived in this community for who knows how long. I literally live 12 minutes away from here and for my brother to be gone and it's like this. It kills me," Harmon said.
"We won't be at peace until justice has been served," Jacobson said.
A glimmer of hope emerged Saturday for the family as the community gathered for a Peace March in Laclede Park, organized by the Office of Violence Prevention.
"We're not just talking about simply ending violence, we're talking about creating a culture of peace," Jason Watson with Mission: St. Louis said.
Local officials, community Violence Intervention partners and residents clad in yellow converged, emphasizing hope and solidarity. Mayor Tishaura Jones and Police Chief Robert Tracy led the march, sounding the alarm against violence.
"It really speaks volumes about people who are willing to finally do something and not just let violence happen and not be an answer," Wilford Pinkney, Jr., director, commended the collective effort, said.
Established in 2022, the Office of Violence Prevention serves as a central hub for the city's crime prevention and intervention endeavors. The Peace Walk marks one of the initial events under its Show Me Peace Initiative, referenced in the 2024 'State of Public Safety' Report.
The document indicates that over 90% of the homicides in the St. Louis region occur as a result of a shooting.
"We want to let everyone know that we are out here to work collaboratively with all communities and there are people in communities to live our lives in peace and commit to that," Pinkney said.
This commitment extends to offering support and hope to families impacted by violence, such as Harmon's, as they strive to foster a culture of safety and peace.
"We don't want any more violence. People shouldn't go through this. Families shouldn't go through this. It needs to stop," Harmon said.
The Peace March signifies a collective resolve to confront violence head-on and build a safer, more resilient community for all.
Pinkney added that the Office of Violence Prevention would hold more peace walks in the future and would engage more contracts with organizations that provide services to meet the root cause of crime.
They have recently held "Kickbacks" where they have welcomed groups committed to youth-driven creative development and violence prevention programs.