Fayetteville group 'Heal the Ville' gathers Saturday to bring awareness to gun violence

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- Gun violence is a big concern to many people in our area and those involved in trying to curb it are constantly looking for new ways to effect change.

One group in Fayetteville is focused on "tackling the problem at its 'root'" by empowering the community to prevent tragedies before they happen.

Thretha Chance said she will never heal from the loss of her daughter Maggie to gun violence.

"I never thought that my 22-year-old daughter would have been murdered," Chance said. "My daughter was the 37th homicide in Cumberland County last year, this year we have already passed 37 this year."

Since her daughter's murder in October 2021, Thretha has discovered she is not alone.

"This beautiful woman lost her daughter to gun violence, this young man lost his brother due to gun violence, and my cousin her father was lost due to gun violence," Demetria Murphy with Heal the Ville said.

Heal the Ville is a group of citizens who have been affected by gun violence in some way. They will be gathering at Festival Park in Fayetteville Saturday, for their second year, to bring awareness and resources to a community looking for solutions.

"For a long time, I was a part of the problem growing up here in the housing projects here in Fayetteville NC so I have a lot of inspiration to give," said Terrell Gibbs who lost his brother to gun violence.

The group is focused on community outreach and education to stop gun violence before it happens, while also educating those who are most at risk, and helping people who want to stop the violence in their own communities.

"It's a lose-lose situation and if we look at it, we have to be proactive and speaking out and actually being an active part of the change," Tiffany Campbell said.

Heal the Ville will take place at Festival Park Saturday from noon to 5:00 p.m.

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