Two vigils for recent homicide victims to be held tonight at 5:30
The holiday cheer machine has only just started grinding in earnest, but for families touched by violence in Kansas City, the upward creep of the city’s homicide rate extinguishes thoughts of merrymaking.
Today, a prayer vigil for two families of recent drive-by shooting victims will take place at 5:30 at Harvest Church, 4300 Corrington Avenue.
The Ad Hoc Group Against Crime, which is hosting this vigil, is calling for people to join them in demanding an end to the bloodshed. In their press release, Ad Hoc Vice President and COO Janay Reliford says, “According to KCPD stats, there have been 203 drive-by shootings since October of this year. … How many more lives must we lose before city residents and leaders become outraged enough to rally for drastic action?”
Also today at 5:30, a prayer vigil is scheduled at 54th and Lydia for Nelson Hopkins, Jr., a 17-year-old Alta Vista Charter High School student who was shot and killed while walking home from a bus stop the night of December 1. The victim’s father is Nelson Hopkins, Sr., whose lifelong work has been in the interest of helping criminal offenders as the founder and CEO of Pardon & Parole Negotiation Services.
An e-mail sent today to Rockhurst students and staff by the university’s Director of Community Relations & Outreach, Alicia Douglas, reads, “Members of the Rockhurst University community are welcome to attend this prayer vigil. As this tragedy reminds us of our Jesuit heritage of social justice, we may take action by showing support in prayer and reflection during this time of community grief. We can also remember to be compassionate to one another and look out for each other in our university community and neighborhood.”
