Chicago Area Local News

  Hundreds of people from across Chicago gathered Friday night in communities rocked by violence to say "enough is enough." Many of them wore shirts with the solemn message the event gets its name from, the Biblical chapter and verse that correspond to the Sixth Commandment – "Thou shalt not kill."

As CBS 2's Mai Martinez reports, the organizer of the event says more than 120 churches from across the state are participating in rallies like Chicago's.

Their goal is to end violence in the community. Many of the people at the rally feel so strongly about the issue, they plan to spend the night out here so they can pray together and come up with a viable solution to present to lawmakers Monday.

"We just want to let them know that through their crisis, their hard times, peace can still be in their hearts," said peace march participant Robert Roa.

Some marchers clutched pictures of loved ones who lives were taken or destroyed by violence.

"I had three murdered within 24 hours," said marcher Lucy Sanchez. "I feel God has let us survived what I survived for a reason."

Sanchez believes that reason is to keep hope for peace alive. That's why she and family members joined hundreds of people as they marched to Humboldt Park chanting "no more violence."

"There's too much violence in the world," participant Miriam Acosta said. "We need love. There's not enough love."

Organizers of the Exodus 20:13 agree, and they say that has to change if there's any hope of ending the senseless violence in the community, like the murder of Arthur Jones Wednesday evening.

"We need to bring back moral standard," said event organizer Rev. Wilfredo de Jesus. "No nation has ever survived when there has been a moral decay and America is facing that."

The meeting was scheduled some weeks ago, but organizers say they have a new sense of urgency, following the shooting death Wednesday of Arthur Jones, 10, a fifth grader at Holmes Elementary School on the city's South Side. That shooting has many people saying enough is enough.

"Blacks, whites, Hispanics, joining together under one banner of this issue of violence; so what you're about to see is a historical event," de Jesus said.

De Jesus says elected officials can't do it on their own. They need help from the communities and church leaders to find real solutions. That's the purpose of the overnight rally and strategy session in Humboldt Park.

"It has been said when men stand up the children sit down and I think every man that's listening needs to stand for their community, their blocks, their church, their homes and make sure that they know where their kids are at," de Jesus said.

"I think the main idea here is that government can't do it alone and so what we're doing is we're calling all the clergy from throughout the city, the surrounding neighborhoods, to come together and talk about strategy," said Ald. Billy Ocasio (26th), whose ward includes Humboldt Park. "What is it that the people need to do? What is it that the church needs to do? And how can we all come together to do it?"

Arthur, known to his family as "A.J.," was shot on Garfield Boulevard just off Halsted Street as he was going to a store after school to buy some candy.

Englewood Police District Cmdr. Joseph Patterson said Tuesday the boy was caught in the crossfire of two rival gangs.

"We have some very promising leads right now. We're following up on that," Patterson said. "It's too early in the investigation right now for us to make any comment or give out any pertinent information."

Arthur's dream was to become a pastor, and many church leaders say they feel touched by the tragedy. Following the march and overnight stay, the peace rally is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday. Mayor Richard M. Daley is expected to attend.
There will be another rally at 11a.m. where participants plan to present their ideas and petitions asking lawmakers to take a stronger stand against guns.

CBS 2's Mai Martinez and Rafael Romo report.

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