NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - South Florida community leaders are urging the community to safely ring in the new year without celebratory gunfire.
Leaders pleaded with the public days before New Year’s Eve to send a clear message this year.
The group of pastors, community leaders, local law enforcement and concerned parents gathered at Jordan Grove Baptist Church, Wednesday, to remind people to put their guns down when celebrating 2018.
In recent weeks and months, innocent children have been killed by stray bullets, and the group said enough is enough.
“We need to have fun during the holidays, which is go ahead, have your barbecues, go ahead, enjoy the fireworks, enjoy your families,” said Miami Gardens Police Chief Delma Noel-Pratt, “but do not fire your weapons up in the air.”
Opa-locka Mayor Myra Taylor said she is frustrated about hearing of these senseless shootings. “I am tired of losing our children to gunfire,” she said. “I’m tired of it! Now I wanna say, ‘Can I get an amen?’ I’m tired of it. That is our future.”
“I want you to consider as those bullets are in your hand what that represents,” said Miami-Dade Police Maj. George Perez. “It represents a life, a life that you can no longer control once you press and pull that trigger. Please consider heavily in your hearts the pain that you will bestow on an unknown family forever.”
The Rev. Jerome Starling hopes that this conference will influence people to think about their actions.
“We’ve had too many deadly blood-bathed shootings this month,” Starling said. “We don’t need a coward running around on New Year’s Eve firing celebratory shots. It’s not the answer.”
Members of the group said one bad decision is not only dangerous but can be deadly.
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