SAN ANTONIO — About a dozen shootings have shaken San Antonio over the last week, resulting in several deaths, injuries and close calls.
On Friday night, dozens of community members responded with a "No More Violence Peace March" held on the east side.
Pastor Darrell Boyce, with True Holiness Pentecostal Church, led the rally. He's no stranger to violence; his teen son was shot to death last year.
“We have children in our community who are dying,” Boyce said. “The bible says, ‘If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will heal their land.’ Our land needs healing.”
A few dozen people gathered at the corner of Houston Street and Walters Street, holding hands in prayer before marching north to True Holiness Church. Participants carried signs that read "Bibles not Bullets" and "No More Silence, End Gun Violence."
As the group marched, many sang hymns.
"In my neighborhood, I’m gonna let it shine. Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine."
Boyce says he recently eulogized the funerals of two children killed in acts of gun violence.
“Those six blocks [we marched] symbolize the six victims," the pastor said. "Those six children who lost their lives over the last seven days."
Before the evening rally, Boyce told KENS 5 the city must come together—not only figuratively, but literally.
"Many people in our community are afraid to come out of our doors anymore. One of the things we have to do is we have to be proactive," he said, adding that city officials must be held accountable and change demanded.
The city, Boyce says, spends money on expendable initiatives and attraction when other parts of the community are suffering. Some of what he suggested San Antonio leaders have taken action on, like workforce training, but he says he'd like to see more funds going to after-school programs so San Antonio's youth grow up in safe, empowering environments.
"That was one of the things in the early-'90s that changed the trend of gangs shooting up communities," he said. "We had churches that were receiving mini-grants to open up the churches for after school programs, for summer programs."
As for what can be done in the short term, Boyce encourages neighbors to link arms and watch out for each other. If someone is struggling, show them a better way, the pastor suggests.
“You have resources in your community that are here to help you out,” said Boyce. “Join a church, talk to your neighbors. San Antonio has violence interrupters, so take your problems to those interrupters. Think things through before you let violence get the best of you.”
Boyce says he believes peace is possible. But it's going to take a village.
“It’s time for us to stand up in our community and say, ‘Look, we are not taking this anymore.'"
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