Peace Walk to draw attention to South Bend gun violence

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- A peace walk is scheduled for this Saturday after several violent shootings have happened in South Bend just in the last week.

“With all the violence going on in our city, we think it’s important that the Michiana community come together to say we want to stand for people. It’s going to take everybody to save South Bend,” said Canneth Lee, Kingdom Christian Center Church Pastor.

The peace walk is put on by S.A.V.E.  or “Stand Against Violence Everyday.” It will start at noon on Saturday at the corner of St. Joseph and Indiana Street in South Bend and end at Honeymoon Park near Lebabon and Indiana Street.

S.A.V.E. was created as an extension from the Group Violence Intervention Program, which brings community leaders together to fight against gun violence.

Group Violence Intervention found through research that an outreach team would fit the South Bend community best.

S.A.V.E. is working in conjunction with the city of South Bend and Goodwill Industries of Michiana for funding.

Goodwill works to provide coaching, classes, work experience and job placement for the community.

“I’m very excited about S.A.V.E. and the work that it will accomplish,” said Isaac Hunt, Goodwill’s South Bend Group Violence Intervention Supervisor. “The purpose is to be the advocate against gun violence in our community, and a connection to available resources. Based on our research, it should help reduce overall shootings and bring an awareness to the harm gun violence is having on our community.”

The community is encouraged to take part in Saturday’s peace walk.