Philadelphians Personally Impacted By Gun Violence Come Together To Share Coping Strategies As Epidemic Worsens
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- This weekend alone, nearly three dozen people have been shot in Philadelphia. That includes a 1-year-old struck in West Philadelphia. Many personally impacted by the violence came together Sunday night to share ways to cope and heal.
The lasting impact of gun violence is felt every day for a mother who's had to bury a child or family grieving. Those who know that hurt hope that sharing their stories will help others at a time when the shooting in the city seems to worsen by the day.
"My vision was very blurry, I just see all this blood all the way across the hallway walls," Taj Devore-Bey said.
On Sunday night, Devore-Bey, a local film producer, told his personal story about a shooting that happened in his own home back in 2013 in a film commissioned by the Credible Messenger Reporting Project.
"I'm realizing how much that's affecting the relationships I've had in my life," Devore-Bey said.
"It's going on four years since my son has been gone," Maxayn Gooden with the Credible Messenger Reporting Project said.
Gooden, who lost her son to gun violence, leads the project aimed at addressing root causes and sharing coping strategies for and from the community.
"I feel like us, as parents, we have to ask more questions," Gooden said.
The effort, titled "The Lasting Impact: The Emotional Scars Gun Violence Leaves Behind," hits home for so many still dealing with the emotional scars.
"I was hit with an AK47 30 years and had a 50/50 on the operating table to survive," one woman said. "It's changed my entire life."
And it comes as the city records a grim milestone -- 300 homicides so far this year. That number is higher than some years in total and on that includes 21 children.
"Families are still hurting from trauma and gun violence," Devore-Bey said.
Just this weekend, at least 34 people have been shot, including a 1-year-old baby shot in the leg Saturday around 8 p.m. at the corner of 50th Street and Haverford Avenue.
The baby shot was taken to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and remains in stable condition.
For more on the Credible Messenger Reporting Project click here.
CBS3's Alicia Roberts reports.
For a list of gun violence resources in Philadelphia, click here.
