MACON, Ga. — The Centers for Disease Control says Georgia’s rate of deaths from firearms ranks 15th among the states. Meanwhile, Macon-Bibb County could be on track for another homicide record this year. Now, a group says they're working to push back against those numbers.
Eight months into 2022, there have been more reports of shooting deaths in Bibb County than this time last year.
"So many people want to respond with anger and with violence," Herbert Dennard said.
Dennard says the spike in violence has prompted his nonprofit Changing Mindsets to teach a lifesaving lesson.
"In order to change something in the violence perimeter, we have to change the way of thinking. When something happens to you, just walk away from it," Dennard said.
CDC numbers show firearm deaths in Georgia have jumped 31% from 2015 to 2020, guns being responsible for almost 18 deaths a year for every 100,000 people.
"We're fed up with hearing the same story: another teen, another young man, another young woman has been killed by gun violence,” Pastor Richard Robinson Jr. said.
Through the "Just Walk Away" initiative, Dennard’s group is recruiting community leaders like Pastor Richard Robinson Jr.
"I believe that if we put our children in programs in the city, it will remove them from the street," Robinson shared.
The purpose is to reduce violence through town hall events, teaching public education, and even gang resistance classes for youth. It's all backed by a grant from the Macon Violence Prevention strategic plan.
"One of the things that we know that fits into the mayor's strategic plan is changing mindsets, because when you look at the strategic plan, it is underscored by changing the way people think,” Henry Ficklin said.
Doing the work takes a village, or in the eyes of this group, a community.
"One day, it may be your child. One day, it may be your nephew, and if it is someone in your family, you're going to want someone to do what you're not doing,” Robinson said.