NASHVILLE, Tenn (WTVF) — People laid down to put an end to youth gun violence. Families of gun violence victims, police and community organizers decided to lay in the grass for an hour in protest to the violence in the city.
“We just want to protest to keep people alive,” said Talia Monget-Simmons.
Monget-Simmons was one of a few people who decided to lay down in an effort to end gun violence, especially for today's kids; that's because to her this is personal.
“My son just graduated in May he went to a sweet 16 party in June, on June the 9th with some of his friends as they existed the car some kids were shooting and shot and killed my son,” said Monget -Simmons
Antwand Covington Jr. was just 17 when he was killed back in 2012.
“My son will never have a chance to get married have kids, he'll never have a chance to go to college, he was just a 17-year-old kid trying to have fun. So why wouldn't I lay down for an hour, why wouldn't anybody lay down for an hour,” said Monget-Simmons.
The Metro Nashville Police Juvenile Crime Task Force has so far seized more than 224 guns since it was created a year ago.
“There are two places that our kids will go if they decide to pick that handgun up and those two places will be the cemetery or prison and that's harsh reality,” said Earl Jordan.
Earl Jordan with Partners in the Struggle, a nonprofit that works with helping Nashville youth, says he believes with enough help they can end youth gun violence in Nashville.
“I want to make sure we educate our kids that this is what can happen when you decide to pick up a gun,” said Jordan.
Jordan says there will be a series of event throughout spring-break to end youth gun violence. The next event is Saturday.
