JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Reverend Al Sharpton and a number of civil rights leaders, including Martin Luther King Jr.s daughter, Bernice King, spoke to reporters outside of the White House Thursday morning saying the next national hate crimes summit will be in Jacksonville following the mass shooting Saturday.
RELATED: After Jacksonville mass shooting, Al Sharpton wants to host next hate crime summit in Florida
The first ever hate crimes summit was last year at the White House.
Bishop John Guns has nothing to do with the planning of that summit but First Coast News spoke with him because one of the victims of Saturday’s mass shooting was his church member and also because his church is within that district where the shooting happened.
He says they’ve dealt with death but it feels “heavy.”
“This shooting hit home and close to my church and so my commitment was to be there,” said Bishop Guns.
Pastor John Guns is committed to being there for his community and it’s especially true at this time.
Pastor Guns says one of his church members, Jerrald Gallion, was killed in the racially motivated mass shooting and Gallion had just become a church member.
“He gave his life to the Lord and recommitted himself and he was coming rather consistently,” said Guns.
Reverend Al Sharpton and other civil rights leaders announced they’d be hosting a hate crime summit in September in Jacksonville. We reached out to Sharpton’s team for details but haven’t heard back.
Pastor Guns says he’s certain the conversation needs to happen here.
“No doubt they feel that because of this particular incident that this is a context that will be at least available and open to the necessary conversations that should take place after something like this happens,” said Guns.
He says he is thankful that leaders plan to bring the conversation to the city but he feels a big part of it should be about the impact of hate-filled speech.
“I know the first amendment and all that but some of this is a result that we just allow people to say and do anything,” he said.
We also reached out to the City of Jacksonville and the mayor’s office to see if they are partnering with the summit and the mayor’s office says they’ve reached out to begin having those conversations.