‘We stop killing us when we stop us from killing us’: Group aims to bring awareness to gun violence
By Marilyn Parker,
2024-09-18
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — Dozens of Tampa Bay-area residents walked to raise awareness about gun violence.
The family of Marquis Scott hosted the 5th annual gun violence awareness walk in south St. Petersburg. Tuesday marked five years since Scott was shot and killed .
Scott’s family also honored the life of Yvonne Abernathy. They said she was killed in a shooting in June. Her family attended the walk, but didn’t want to speak.
Scott’s mother, Marjorie, said Abernathy and her son dated in high school. She was the first young woman Marquis brought home to introduce to the family.
Families who joined the walk created signs that read “enough is enough,” and “no more silence, end gun violence.”
They said the gun violence in the city is an epidemic.
“I wish I could tell people it gets better, but it just doesn’t, it changes,” said Christie Potts, who lost her son to gun violence back in 2015. “Within seven weeks, seven young men was killed when my son got killed. It’s like everyone of those kids became my kids. Every time a shooting happens, you feel like it’s your son all over again. And every time somebody else got shot my son’s name was put back in the news.”
St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch attended the walk. He spoke about resources and the $1 million in the upcoming budget to support troubled youth so they don’t continue down the wrong path.
“These kids, I don’t think they realize what the rest of their life is,” Potts said.
Some of the families said they agree with the city’s plans and they said it’s everyone’s responsibility to help get it done.
“We stop killing us when we stop us from killing us,” said Maress Scott, Marquis’s father.
Scott’s family said they want Marquis to be remembered not by his death, but for his big smile, his big heart, and love for football.
They say they hope no other families have to feel the pain they live with every day.
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