The steps in front of the Christian County Justice Center were home to a memorial honoring those who have died as a result of gun violence at Friday evening’s annual Gun Violence Awareness Rally.
The victims’ pictures were displayed along with their names, the date they died and even some of their belongings, such as shoes. Friday marked National Gun Violence Awareness Day, and attendees wore orange to honor victims and survivors, as well as spotlight the need to reduce gun violence.
The Hopkinsville nonprofit Walk in My Shoes organized the rally. Angelique Victor founded the organization, and she is no stranger to gun violence, having lost her son Terrill Moore in a shooting in 2019.
Victor says she received a knock on the door from law enforcement that no other parent should ever receive, which led her to create the organization. She says people are tired of attending funerals for those taken too soon, and it’s time for a change.
The rally included dance performances and family members talking about those they lost to gun violence. Kenneth Forbes, the founder of the Louisville organization Mothers of Murdered Daughters and Sons, was in attendance, and he talked about his son Kenneth Forbes Jr., who was a victim.
He encouraged those not affected directly by gun violence to support organizations like Walk in My Shoes, because gun violence can impact anybody.
Rebecca McCoy-Simpkins lost her son Isaiah McCoy in a shooting at a party in Oak Grove in 2024. She says he suffered two gunshot wounds and she witnessed him take his final breath. Some of those in attendance were mourning the death of their children who died young due to gun violence, and she encouraged parents to surround their children with positive influences.
The rally concluded with a prayer circle surrounding the memorial.
