TOLEDO, Ohio — According to the city of Toledo, shootings were down in 2024 compared to the prior year. But it's still a problem that plagues the city, and one local group is standing up to gun violence through their faith.
For two local women, gun violence awareness is something that hits close to home.
Safona Harris is the mother of 28-year-old Isiah Pressley, who was fatally shot back in September. She recounts the night that her son was murdered.
"The night of Sept. 14, my son was leaving a party with his wife and going to grab something to eat," Harris said. "As he was getting out of his vehicle, a bullet hit him in the face and it instantly took his life."
After learning of another shooting a week ago at the intersection of Cherry Street and Mettler Street in north Toledo, Pressley's cousin, Pastor Sherrill Newton, knew it was time to speak out.
"That really brought it home. God said come to the spot," Newton said. "He said, 'Pray at this spot, at this location.' So that's why I'm here today, to pray to take authority."
According to WTOL 11 records, there have been 27 deadly shootings in the city of Toledo so far this year. That's one more than last year at this time. The group feels that praying is the best way to combat violence.
"It's not carnal, but it's mighty through God, through the pulling down of strongholds," Newton said. "We pulled down strongholds here today. The scripture says that 'He allows for violence or suffer violence and the violence taketh it by force.' And so by force, we're taking it back."
Harris said she hopes the message gives people the path away from gun violence.
"Prayer is the beginning of it, but we've got so much work to do. We've got so much work to do and we've got to get past ourselves and our own ideologies and put God first," she said. "We have to do what's going to be for the betterment of the child or the city of Toledo."
Harris and Newton are hoping to continue doing more prayers around the community and bring more people together to combat gun violence.