MACON, Ga. — Whether they're personally affected by gun violence or witnessed it in Macon, many people say something needs to be done and that the Macon Violence Prevention plan is a step in the right direction.
In April, Ciara Burke lost her boyfriend, Brandon Washington, to gun violence.
Someone shot Washington at the Circle K gas station on Zebulon Road.
"I'm feeling OK today, but I'm still angry, I'm still hurt, and still emotional," Burke said.
8 months later, Burke and her 1-year-old daughter are still recovering.
"People should think before they take someone else's life how their parents or someone else will feel. They will never get to see their loved ones again, and you're behind bars," Burke said.
But it's not just loved ones of victims who want to see change.
Ray Wilson grew up in Macon and now manages several businesses.
He says gun violence has been a recurring issue.
"In order for us to address the problem, we have to get to the root cause. A lot of it deals with poverty, redlining, spreading out resources, and things like that," Wilson said.
These are some of the things that Mayor Lester Miller plans to address through the Macon Violence Prevention Strategic Plan.
City leaders hope that the MVP plan will look at what causes violence by doing things like enhancing law enforcement and community relations, improving education system, fighting blight, and more.
Wilson says this is a start.
"Until we address some of those things, we can't address the gun violence and senseless violence," Wilson said.
Wilson says he is looking forward to seeing what these goals will do for Macon, "But how are these going to be implemented? How are we going to measure the success of these things? Or we'll end up with the same results, because a plan is just a plan until you work it."
Burke says she just wants to see more patrol cars and less violence.
"Maybe it will stop people, and if someone else really does get hurt, we'll have more patrol cars, more ambulances, everything, that can at least try to save someone's life," Burke said.