Community Holds Peace Rally in Pasadena to Protest Gun Violence

A large group of community activists banded together Thursday to protest deadly gun violence in Pasadena after a young boy was fatally shot.

The activists, many of them young, insisted they are not too young to care about minorities being killed by gun violence.

Adult activists like Pastor BJ King of Loveland Life Center agreed that the young actvists' pain is real.

"Us that work in ministry have been dealing with, crazy it seems, post traumatic stress disorder with a lot of these young folks. Where they don't want to go outside, they don't want to be involved, they don't trust. Not only don't they trust the people in the neighborhood but they don't trust the police," King said.

Last week, 4-year-old Salvador Esparza was killed in a drive-by shooting in Altadena.

And four years ago, 19-year-old Kendrec McDade was killed by Pasadena police.

"We're not here to discredit the law for what they're doing. But we don't need the law to take advantage of they badges either," said Kendrec's uncle Kevin McDade.

Faith leaders fear gun violence is creating a heartsick generation and said they must turn pain into hope.

"That's kind of what these kids are dealing with. This is more regional than what's going on across the country," King said.

Contact Us