LANSING, Mich. — Dozens of people took to the streets in efforts to stop gun violence in Jackson Saturday morning.
Saved Our Youth lead the march downtown. The group is against gun violence.
The group is a non-profit, youth mentoring organization that supports the community creating an action plan to stop crime.
This march follows Jackson City Mayor Derek Dobies' recent plan to reduce violence in the city by requiring some businesses to install cameras outside their buildings and passing new weapons ordinances.
"I think that it can't just be about just the mayor or city council, or about one entity or another, it's got to be the community getting involved," Dobies said.
Recent shootings in Jackson have shaken the community to it's core. Save Our Youth executive director Thomas Burke said people are afraid to leave their homes due to the recent burst of shootings.
"We don't want to keep coming outside our homes, looking over our shoulders hoping nobody is shooting at us," Burke said.
The Jackson City Council recently approved to fund the Cure Violence Pilot Project.
The money will pay for things like outreach workers, training and educational materials.
Dobies said FBI crime stats show Jackson has more reports of gun violence than any city in Michigan with a population around 32,000 people. 343 incidents were reported in 2016, 320 in 2017 and 394 last year.
Shootings have personally effected many in the community, including the mayor.
The Mayor said he saw shots fired on 2nd Street on Sunday night.
"There was about 20 shots that I heard. A little bit of a pause and another 5 shots and then I heard a truck gun it and it flew right by me. I was standing in the sidewalk," he said. "We get people that are looking to leave the community and people that we probably lose from not moving into the community.'
A report from the police department says shell casings were found in the area. It does not say anyone was hurt.
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