DEARBORN HEIGHTS, Mich. – A Dearborn Heights mosque is calling for an end to gun violence.
Islamic House of Wisdom held a community candlelight vigil for victims of violence and terrorism locally and across the country.
Different faith leaders as well as city and state officials decided to come together because they’re all tired of the same thing.
“Shooting after shooting and massacre after massacre and funeral after funeral,” said Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi of Islamic House of Wisdom.
The leaders say while the mass shootings are happening at the national level, it’s also personal.
“Earlier this year, I lost my five-year-old cousin at the hands of a 16-year-old,” said Sherry Gay-Dagnogo, former Michigan.
“We call ourselves one nation under God, but then, in reality, looks like several nations under guns,” Mohammad said.
Dearborn Heights Police Chief Jerrod Hart said their community isn’t exempt from it.
“Our number one crime here is aggravated non-aggravated assault,” said Hart.
The event’s purpose was to recognize that change can start in the community especially once people come together.
“The pastor up there had a great message about ‘you need to lead our way out of this,’” said Hard.
That could be looking at how to improve conflict resolution or more people using gun locks and safe gun storage.
”It gives us time to think, so if we have to, you know, go and unlock a lock on a gun, then maybe that’s time that we need to slow down and think about what we’re doing,” Hart said.
Dearborn Heights Police, along with several other local agencies, offers free gun locks.
