SHREVEPORT, LA (KSLA) -
Through prayer and community brain storming one local group is looking to put an end to senseless violence among the youth in the community.
A prayer service scheduled for Monday night comes on the heels of a deadly fight that took the life of 20-year old Robert Farmer.
One Voice organized an event called "Code Red" to bring awareness to what they believe is a growing problem of senseless crime and death in the community.
"Pastors are invited. Business owners are invited. Just the general public is invited," said Ketina Williams with the One Voice Political Action committee.
On September 9, 20-year old Robert Farmer became the victim of a beating that would ultimately claim his life four days later at LSU Hospital Police arrested Darrell Phillips and Demerius Smith and charged both with battery for the fight. But, after Farmer died on Thursday night, police upgraded Smith's charge to second degree murder.
"As long as there's the Devil there's going to be evil in the world. But, we that are people of light are to do our part," said Bishop Lawrence Brandon with Praise Temple Full Gospel Baptist Cathedral
The prayer vigil for Robert Farmer happens on Monday at Praise Temple Full Gospel Baptist Cathedral. The so-called 'action meeting' is intended to produce real-life ideas to stop the violence.
Ketina Williams with 'One Voice' says at the root of most violence in teenagers is their inability to control their anger. "That's the importance of having solutions like anger management classes. Because, it takes them through their process to understand, first of all, where that anger is coming from."
'One Voice' says this will be more than a pray and go home type function. They hope to inspire and rally the community and offer solutions through education, quality of life and community and even business development.
"Once we leave here tomorrow (Monday), we want to be taking action," says Williams.
The prayer vigil for Robert Farmer gets underway at 7pm on Monday night at Praise Temple Full Gospel Cathedral in Shreveport, located at 4725 Greenwood Road.
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