CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – (Clarksvillenow.com) Close to 40 people gathered at Millennium Plaza at the Montgomery County Courthouse Thursday to remember a loved one lost to gun violence. Tuesday, June 2, is National Gun Violence Awareness Day and the group planned to march from downtown to the Cumberland River for a release of balloons in memory of the victims.
Many of those attending wore t-shirts with photos and names of a family member or friend who had died. There were also signs and banners with photos and names of the victims killed by gun violence. Most also wore the color orange which symbolizes the value of human life and is quickly becoming the color of gun safety.
Jessenia Mercado lost her son Adam after he was shot and killed on August 29, 2014 and talked about why she and others are working to put an end to gun violence. “We got together and said we need to do something and bring some type of awareness to Clarksville so we can stop all of this craziness that’s going on,” said Mercado.
Mercado also talked about the organization “Moms Demand Action”, who are moms that have lost their children to gun violence. Mercado emphasized that the group not only works with moms, but the also support anyone who has lost a loved one to gun violence.
Also at the march was Carmen Caratini. Her son Fran who was shot to death in 2014. “We’re here just to let the Clarksville community know that we’re fighting for justice, that we need to stop gun violence because we are killing each other and we have to have respect for human life,” Caratini said.