Faith leaders to host prayer vigil as Lexington ties record number of homicides

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) — Faith leaders and clergy will gather next week to pray for Lexington, homicide victims and for a solution to “Stop the Violence.”

The prayer vigil comes after Lexington has tied the record number of homicides for the city, with a little over two months left this year.

“We are tired of setting records year after year,” Building a United Interfaith Lexington through Direct-Action, or BUILD, said in a press relase.

The group is pushing for Group Violence Intervention stratgey to be implemented. BUILD says in 2018, then-mayor Jim Gray began an analysis in Lexington by the National Network for Safe Community. The analysis concluded in 2019, and the group says NNSC determined that GVI would “significantly reduce violence” in the city.

The vigil will be held in the Shiloh Baptist Church parking lot located at 237 East 5th Street on Thursday, Oct. 20 at 5:15 p.m.