City urges community-building to help stop Chicago violence

CHICAGO (WLS) -- As Memorial Day weekend gets underway, Chicago is trying to stop the violence with a call for peace.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel and community leaders kicked off the second annual Summer of Faith and Action Friday night. It's a united plea to put the guns down to prevent violence and promote safety on city streets as summer approaches.

The mayor area citizens at the Metropolitan Apostolic Church at 41st and King Drive for an anti-violence conference inside the church. The group then moved to King Drive to march for peace.

"The challenge we have in the city of Chicago goes beyond police, and it gets to all of us having a role to play in eliminating the violence," said Rev. Leon Finney, pastor at the Metropolitan Apostolic Community Church.

The group is mixed, with parents, grandparents, civic and religious leaders all collaborating for the same reason: to try to curb violence and give young people a sense of purpose.

"That is one of the things that's gonna continue to come out of this conference," said Sasha Daltonn, a church member. "Getting more involvement, more ideas that the city can have in terms of addressing the problems that are here and eliminating those."

"It's very clear. I want the city to speak, especially before the holiday weekend, with one voice. 'Put the guns down,'" Emanuel said.

The mayor said residents can help create a safe, secure environment throughout the city by taking part in barbecues, street corner prayer groups, block club parties or block cleanups.

Summer of Faith and Action kick-off events will be held at churches, parks and community centers Friday night. Emanuel plans to attend several of those events.

The events strive to prevent shootings such as one that occurred Thursday night, when two people were shot in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood. Police said both victims, ages 19 and 22, are documented gang members and the shooting appears to be drug-related. Last weekend, two people were killed and at least 47 people were injured in shootings across the city.