Project Body Bag to hold event Thursday

The organization is hosting an event Thursday starting at 6 p.m. at the Dunbar Community Center, on North Upper Street. 

Lexington, Ky (WTVQ): Damion Riley started Project Body Bag in 2014. He says he went up to the coroner and asked for a body bag to give some perspective to the youth in his neighborhood. “Bullets have no eyes,” Riley said. “You have to not only take accountability for yourself, but also be aware of who’s around you.”

The organization is hosting an event Thursday starting at 6 p.m. at the Dunbar Community Center, on North Upper Street.  The goal is to show just how devastating it is to lose a loved one in this manner.

Riley knows firsthand the struggle of going down the wrong path he says, “Looking at the mistakes that I have done and taking accountability for the part that I have done of selling drugs and being in the streets.”

Riley visits local high schools to speak about bullying and gun violence. Thursday’s topics will show scenes of domestic violence, homicides and overdoses. “It changes kids minds, it opens up their ideas that if I continue to do the wrong thing or go down the wrong path, I could end up in this body bag,” he said.

The event lasts about an hour and a half. He says he expects more than 100 people to come out. “I’ve had some kids who were scared to go in and tell me that I’m going to jinx them,” Riley said. “Then I’ve had kids want to get in it, and want to change, and want to see a better future for themselves.”

Riley says he can’t save everyone, but he can save as many as he can. “Are we going to stop the gun violence? Probably not, but we’ve got to keep that goal, keep pushing, give these kids something to do. Let them see something different that they’ve never saw,” he said.

Riley says people from ages 14 to 21 can be in the presentation. You can learn more about Project Body Bag here.