While Greenwood reels from the loss of three men to gun violence on Sunday, a group of residents wants to inspire the city to unite with 21 days of prayer.
Their message was spread Tuesday evening at the downtown pavilion near the corner of Johnson Street and Main Street.
“We’re standing now to say no more killing,” Joe McCall said into his microphone. “No more hatred in Greenwood, Mississippi!”
An audience of 13 people had gathered to listen to calls by McCall and Marcellus Gray to end gun violence in Greenwood.
“We come out here tonight to pray for our city to change the things that we have going on around here,” said Gray. “The main thing is all this bloodshed. It’s too much for us to be out here taking the lives of our own people. The ones we love. The ones we’ve grown up with.”
Gray, who has helped organize several anti-gun-violence initiatives and events, is calling on all members of the Greenwood community to join him and his friends for fasting and prayer.
“We plan to come up with a solution to fix the problem that we have,” he said.
The move comes as a response to the loss of three men to gun violence on Sunday: Justin Doyle, Quincy Turner and Ashton Davis.
“Since the killing has been going on, my phone jumps,” he said. “‘What are you going to do? What are we going to do?’”
In 2022, 13 people have lost their lives to gunfire in Leflore County, according to reporting by the Commonwealth. Since 2019, the total is 61 total lives lost.
Gray, a barber and car detailer, knew many of the people who have lost their lives to gun violence over the last several years.
He said he knew Doyle, whom he described as committed to his family. He said Turner loved to work. He did not know Davis personally but had heard nothing but good things about him.
“It’s tragic how their lives had to end due to some senseless killing,” he said.
Gray, along with friends, began their tours of prayer on Monday evening, with fasting being done in private after the prayers.
He said gun violence affects the entire community.
“The benefit from this is getting the people together,” he said. “Once we get the people together, we can come together and find a solution to help us combat the problem we have — if we can get more people to see how this thing is affecting more than just the people that are hurting.”
Emma Willis, who attended the gathering downtown Tuesday, said she was bothered by the continued gun violence. “It’s enough,” she said. “It’s time to stop. It’s time to stop. It’s time for God to stand up. That’s what I’m here for.”
Gray said he wants to go to a different spot in Greenwood each day for prayer.
“If you think about it, every time someone gets killed, you get on Facebook and all you see is, ‘Praying for my city.’ Now, we’re giving time to come out and really pray for the city.”
- Contact Kevin Edwards at 662-581-7233 or kedwards@gwcommonwealth.com.
