Members of the choir walk into the sanctuary singing during Easter services at the St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church on Williams Street. The church, whose pastor, David Strong, was killed in his home in Oct. 2010, will host "Stepping Against Violence" events on Saturday.IF YOU GO• What: The Rev. David Harrison Strong "Steppin' Against Violence" 5K Walk/Run and memorial service• When: 5K starts at 7:30 a.m. Saturday; memorial service at 7 p.m. Saturday• Where: St. Paul AME Church, 2514 Williams St.• Cost: $5 to participate in the 5K
A Chattanooga fire captain will read the names of at least 30 people during a memorial service Saturday - all from Chattanooga; all murdered.
"So many young black men are dying here for no purpose," said Chattanooga resident William Green, who lost two nephews to violence. "The question is: What can we do to prevent it?"
Of 25 people killed by violence in 2011, more than half were under age 30 and six were under 21. Five people have been slain so far this year.
The Rev. Kenneth Love, pastor at St. Paul AME Church, is organizing the Rev. David Harrison Strong "Steppin' Against Violence" 5K walk/run Saturday to remember people who have died by violence. The walk/run will begin at St. Paul, where Strong was pastor before being beaten and stabbed to death in 2010.
Green will host a memorial service at 7 p.m. Saturday at St. Paul. Parishioners from all African Methodist Episcopal churches in the city are expected to attend. Attendees are encouraged to bring photos and wear T-shirts in recognition of their loved ones who were killed.
"You bring the families together, and you let them know they're not alone," said Chattanooga Fire Capt. David Brooks, who will participate in the memorial service.
When a person has a family member or friend who dies, people sympathize for a while with grieving, then the focus shifts to other things, Love said.
"We want to tell the victims that have suffered that we want to recognize it and make an event so that we can monitor year by year as the [murder rate] lowers," he said.
Love came to the church after Strong was killed. Two cousins, Brendan Barnes, 17, and Antonio Henry, 27, have been charged with the crime. Their trial is set to begin in May.
"I don't think people realize the effect that violence has on both families, the victim and the one who committed the crime," Green said. "In most cases, parents tried to teach them. They just got with the wrong people."
In some cases, those killed were providers for their families - husbands, sons, fathers, daughters and mothers, Green said.