Advocates against gun violence rally at Virginia Capitol

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) -Amid a growing increase in violence across Richmond, advocates against gun violence held the One Million Children’s March at the State Capitol Bell Tower. The event aimed to address how leaders can connect with the youth to stop more of these deaths from happening.

Earlier this week, 15-year-old Tynashia Humphrey was shot dead in Gilpin Court while walking to the store. Earlier this year, two teens were gunned down on a set of railroad tracks in Hopewell. Multiple teens were also killed at parties in Chesterfield.

The event was led by Youth Corporation Inc. and aimed to highlight the uptick in teen gun violence in Richmond and what can be done to stop it. Advocates think the solution to the rise in teens dying in these shootings comes from reaching the youth in the school system.

“You’re destroying a part of the human race that was put here to be able to give life, not to destroy life, and that’s what we want to teach them. I don’t think they’re being taught that. Especially not in the schools now,” said Youth Corporation Inc. CEO Elizabeth Charity.

People at Saturday’s event will go to state leaders to figure out what else can be done to address the issue. They have a meeting scheduled with Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears on Monday to discuss solutions.

“I’m going all the way to the top to the governor’s mansion and let him know that we want to work with him to be able to provide life economic growth,” Charity explained.

Sears was at the scene of a shooting in the area of Milton Street on Thursday night after a string of more shootings in Richmond and Henrico that same night. She agrees that gun violence needs to stop now.

“We’re done. Do something and do something now because the city is dying and our children are dying,” Sears stated.

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