MILWAUKEE — “It’s terrible. It’s a dream you can’t wake up from that ripples down to your next loved one and then the next one.”
Gregory Mallory is grieving the loss of his mother, Shirley, who died in August at the hands of gun violence.
“82 years old, sitting on a porch. She was shot with my 86-year-old dad and my 88-year-old auntie.”
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Mallory and his wife were one of many families at a community vigil held to honor all the lives lost from homicides this year.
227 candles were center stage at Ephesians Missionary Baptist Church Thursday night marking each victim in 2022.
Of the hundreds of reported homicides this year, 90% of them were at the hands of gun violence.
Lorma Delgado and her family wore shirts and necklaces with pictures of her late son, Christian, who was shot and killed at her birthday party last February.
“I don’t have a life anymore,” she said. “I’m waiting for justice to happen. I don’t have a life anymore.”
Now loved ones and community leaders are asking everyone to hold each other accountable to reverse the trend of rising homicides in the city.
“We have to watch out for each other more,” said Mallory. “We can’t leave it all on the police. Just have to be more accountable, say more stuff.”
Those there on Thursday joined hands and prayed together that there will be fewer candles on the table next year.
