Religious leaders pledge to do more to stop gun violence, urge city leaders to end blame game

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A half-dozen West Side religious leaders gathered on the corner where a Chicago Police Commander was gunned down on July 4 and urged religious institutions, including theirs, to do more to stop gun violence in the city.

Reverend Ira Acree of the Greater St. John Bible Church said this particularly violent summer has led to an emergency for action as the city emerges from the pandemic. He said that after more than a year of limited services and operations in many churches, institutions must reopen everything because violence is much more of a threat to our young people than this virus.

Obviously, your summer camp, your mentorship program, your men’s group is not enough, Acree said. Frankly, I’m sick of the blame game, don’t just blame it, do something.

Exactly what they plan to do is yet to be determined, but Acree has pleaded for her fellow pastors to get creative. He suggested having dances on Friday evenings to take people off the streets and put them in a place where they can gather safely. Leaders also plan to knock on doors throughout the summer to involve more people in church events.

It is unfortunate that we are living in an undeclared state of emergency, Acree said. Chicago is in a state of chaos. It seems that now no one is banned. A 1 year old child was shot in the head. A police commander shot, a black woman who came up in the ranks in one of our South Side neighborhoods, she was here mingling with the locals and she got shot.

Newly promoted 15th District Cmndr. Patrina Wines, who has been with the Chicago Police Department for 28 years and is known to have a warm relationship with residents of the West Side, was shot in the foot at the end of a July 4th party on Monday. A police sergeant’s leg was also grazed by a bullet in the shooting.

Reverend Marshall Hatch, head of New Mt. Pilgrim MB Church, said it is time for political leaders, CPD high-ranking officials and the courts to all accept some responsibility and realize that what they have done so far now has not worked.

After all parties admit their fault, Hatch said, they should move forward with a comprehensive plan to save lives.

The point is, we’re going to do whatever we can with what we have, Hatch said. We have not left these communities where I live down the street from here, our prayers are for our Cmndr. Wines and his fellow officer and all those who were victimized.

Leaders held an emergency meeting on violence with members of the Black Caucus City Council and community groups at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at New Mt. Pilgrim MB Church, 4301 W. Washington Blvd.

Reverend Marshall Hatch, of the New Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church, discusses what religious leaders can do to address gun violence in Chicago at a press conference in the 100 block of North Long Avenue in Austin in the West Side, Thursday afternoon, July 8, 2021. Chicago Police 15th District Cmdr. Patrina Wines was shot in the foot in Block 100 of North Long over the July 4 bank holiday weekend.Ashlee Rezin Garcia / Sun-Times

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