HOUSTON — The community is coming together hoping to put a stop to the recent violent crimes involving children.
A “Take our Streets Back” March was held in the Gulf Gate area on Saturday.
Both the families of 9-year-old Arlene Alvarez and Ashanti Grant came together demanding justice. Dozens came out to support the families who have fallen victim to an alarming trend.
“Every day, every day so far, it's not adults, it’s kids being shot why? It's always the kids,” said Ashanti Grant’s grandmother, Patricia Williams.
Williams and Arlene’s mother, Gwen Alvarez, locked arms at the event held in front of the Chase Bank where Arlene was shot and killed.
"A lot of people like her are coming to me and my husband, it's not only her. It hurts me a lot of people are relating to my case,” said Gwen Alvarez.
"My child is hanging on, but I feel for them, even more because they lost their child. I have to be here to support them, for the same thing I’m going through,” said Williams.
People attended the event with young children by their sides.
“Justice for our babies, justice for our children,” shouted the crowd.
Richard Molina organized the grassroots effort.
“It’s about not letting these victims, be victims in vain moving forward trying to understand what the root cause of these problems are across the board,” he said.
Molina says they won’t stop until the list of precious lives lost is no more.
“Justice for Darius, Justice for Diamond, the list goes on and on," he said.
Molina says they plan to host additional marches in the coming weeks.