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Violence and Heartache | Home | The Advocate — Baton Rouge, LA

Seeded on Wed Feb 15, 2012 5:48 PM EST
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Valentine’s Day Commemoration of Gun Deaths

The terrible tragedy of gun deaths was highlighted February 14, 2012 and has been designated as the day to commemorate and educate, on this horrendous phenomena which continues to plague Louisiana. 

Children & Guns is a grassroots organization founded by advocate Juanita Williams.  She joins with community organizer, Stephanie Anthony, pastor Freddie & first lady Elnora Patterson  and media executive Jim Colbert to bring this important issue to the forefront.

In 2010 - the latest year for which detailed statistics are available - there were 12,996 murders in the US. of  those deaths,8,775 were caused by firearms.  According to 2010 FBI statistic for Louisiana the state had 438- total murders, 351 were from firearms, In 2009 Louisiana had the second highest gun deaths in the nation.

 

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2011 ended with the city of Baton Rouge Louisiana having 81 homicides according to the daily newspaper. These 81 lives did not include the suicides or the accidental gun deaths. Children & Guns held its annual Valentine’s Day event posting the names of citizens who had lost their lives to gunfire on a big red heart in the inner city. Juanita Williams is the fearless woman who began this tradition, by her side, community activist Stephanie Anthony, new comers to the event Rev. Freddie Patterson and his wife Elnora pitched in to pray and write the names of the dead and post them. Councilpersons, a State Representative and a sheriff deputy came by to discuss the problem.

    Reply#1 - Wed Feb 15, 2012 5:51 PM EST
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