Community rallies to end gun violence

VALDOSTA, Ga. (AP) — At 16, Anaya Coleman believes gun violence is an issue in the community.

Coleman attended Valdosta High School with 18-year-old Desiyunna Hill, a rising senior who was shot to death in late June while at a party at a 1700 block North Lee Street event center.

To honor her former schoolmate, and spread what she believes to be an important message, Coleman hosted Stop the Gun Violence in Scott Park Saturday (Aug. 3).

"It was important for me to have this event because I just feel like it needs to be a difference," she said. "It's so many shootings in Valdosta and it's just to the point that somebody needs to make a change."

The event was scheduled on the same weekend as 20 people were killed and dozens injured in an El Paso, Texas, shooting, and nine people were killed and dozens injured in a shooting in Dayton, Ohio.

Coleman and a few adult volunteers tapped community leaders and local advocates to speak at the rally.

They were mayoral candidate Kevin Bussey, city council at-large candidates Adrian Rivers and Jeremy Stone and Sgt. Sabrina Smith of the Valdosta Police Department.

Desmond Grant, Hill's father, also spoke. He highlighted moments when Hill would motivate him and promote change in his life.

"When she died, she really woke me up," he said of his daughter.

Grant plans to honor Hill by making a positive community impact.

Kyle and Barbara Lee, parents of 17-year-old Solomon Lee, spoke of their son's shooting death.

The young teen, who was a junior at VHS, was attending a party unbeknownst to his parents when he died.

"It really did a lot to my home, to me, because we miss him so much," his mom said to a crowd. "It's so important when you know something that's going on in the community or when you know somebody has a gun . . . to say...