Prayer vigil in honor of lives lost to gun violence; faith leaders call to action

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – A large crowd gathering downtown to pray for Lexington and the lives lost to gun violence.

Lexington police, the Fayette County Sheriff’s office, city councilmembers, faith leaders and families of victims all came together.

Rabbi Shlomo Litvin of the Chabad of the Bluegrass blew the shofar Monday night, echoing the cry of a child, calling the community to wake up to the needs of children and what can be done to protect them.

Deana Mullins with “We are Survivors” remembers her son, murdered five years ago. She says each new shooting in Lexington resurfaces the feelings she had on what she calls the worst day of her life.

“You feel the anxiety, the anger, the sadness, the fear that you felt the night that you got the call, but you feel it in a different, compassionate way for another family that’s going through the same things and will be walking the same steps as you walked,” says Mullins.

Pastor Richard Gaines of Consolidated Baptist Church says a lot of time can be devoted to planning and trying to find out what should be done but he says until people recognize that the true enemy is not our neighbor but an outside evil, then Lexington will be meeting for vigils for years to come.

“God, for those who have committed crimes and we call heinous, Lord, let us be compassionate toward them as you’ve been toward us. Let us be forgiving toward them as you have been forgiving toward us because all of us have sinned and come short in your glory,” says Gaines.

However, some families at the vigil still waiting on justice and calling for answers, frustrated their child’s cases are still unsolved.

“To the mothers, if you know something about your children, don’t keep it to yourself, you have to talk,” translates Ariana Villaraus for her aunt Alvis Billarau-Rodriguez. “You’re a mother too and you don’t want to go through this.”

Lexington city leaders hoping Monday’s prayer vigil encourages people to speak out and be involved in keeping Lexington safe.

“We are Survivors” says it has two events coming up for the community. The first being the annual “Walk a Mile in our Shoes” event remembering victims of homicide on Sunday, September 25 at the Historic Fayette Circuit Courthouse on W Main Street. The second event, September 30th, a block party to help strengthen the relationship between local law enforcement and the community.

Photo courtesy Deana Mullins Facebook page.

Photo courtesy Ricardo Franklin Facebook page.