Student, Local Leaders Push For End To Gun Violence
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- Students and local leaders gathered in solidarity to push for an end to gun violence in South Florida.
The Peace Ambassadors - a group of students trying to find solutions to end violence in their neighborhoods- stood with local leaders and law enforcement at Bayfront Park' Torch of Friendship on Friday morning.
The crime their fighting is something that has hit close to home for some of them.One by one they shared their stories.
"He ended up shooting my other neighbor and his little brother and sister," said one student.
"I heard gun shots. My frantic mother crouched to the ground and covered her shaking hands over me and my brother's head," said another student.
Miami-Dade Public Schools Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho and U.S. Attorney Wifredo Ferrer were just some local leaders at the event.
Related: Carvalho: Code Of Silence Needs To Stop In Teen Shooting Deaths
"We should all feel uncomfortable with the fact that over the past two years alone over 140 young people were shot in our community," said Carvalho.
It's something he said gets worse.
"Over the past two years, 40 young people were murdered in our community," said Carvalho.
Related: Cops, Community Unite In Search Of Info On Child, Teen Deaths
The group along with local leaders created a declaration of independence against violence. That declaration is a promise for the people in the community to work together and provide security and opportunity for all South Florida youths.
