All photos and video by Tacuma R. Roeback
By the close of the Memorial Day Weekend, 53 people were reported shot and 11 killed across Chicago. Victims ranged in age from two to 77 years old. In fact, there were two separate incidents where two year old children were shot by guns that were accidentally discharged.
Those tallies served as a grim reminder of the relentless issue of gun violence in Chicago, particularly in the Summer. However, one annual city wide demonstration from over the weekend served as a call to action to the community over the senseless violence in the city. The annual event is named “Prayer On The Nine,” which was led by Pastor John F. Hannah, Senior Pastor of New Life Covenant SE Church.
The entire demonstration happened on 79th Street, from Greenwood to the edge of the Dan Ryan Expressway. Moreover, it was propelled by the voices of children chanting “Our Youth Matter,” with members of Hannah’s church and the larger community right behind them.
Here are the sights from Pastor Hannah’s “Prayer On The Nine” march: