JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — After a deadly weekend of violence across Jacksonville, a group of faith leaders from across the community is coming together to ask for an end to the shootings.
Six separate shootings across Jacksonville left one person dead and several others injured. Now, local pastors are begging for the violence to stop.
The Baptist Ministers Conference of Duval and Adjacent Counties gathered at 600 Eaverson St. in Jacksonville to announce a call for a cease-fire, as well as a Reconciliation and Transformation Conference to take place Friday.
The group is inviting Sheriff Mike Williams, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office gang taskforce leader, other community leaders and fellow clergy to meet at 6 p.m. Friday at Mount Sinai Missionary Baptist Church, 2036 Silver St., in Jacksonville.
They will call for a 30-day cease-fire of all shootings, killings abuses and "beefing" across the city, as well as a 30-day cease of Facebook and other social media videos that hype up shootings and retaliations, according to a news release.
There are three priorities the summit will focus on:
- Tackling the root causes of criminal behavior and minimizing recidivism.
- Prosecuting the greatest threats to communities, with alternatives to put low-level offenders back on the right path.
- Build stronger bonds between law enforcements and the communities they serve through the faith initiative.
They will also call for any organizations that work with youth in any way to participate in the summit.
COVID-19 safety protocols will be in place for the summit, including masks, temperature checks and air purifiers, the release says.
Anyone with information regarding the shooting incidents over the weekend is asked to call the non-emergency number at 904-630-0500, Crimestoppers at 1-866-845-Tips or email JSOCrimetips@jaxsheriff.org.