JACKSONVILLE, Fla — 2019 proved to be one of the deadliest in more than a decade for Jacksonville, according to our partners at the Florida Times-Union. This news has community activists putting out the calls for peace.
"I think it's time for Jacksonville to pray," said Ben Frazier, the founder of Northside Coalition.
His message is simple: Put down the guns and pick up the Bible. He's the founder of the Northside Coalition, a community group advocating for peace.
For the most part, he says 2019 was not a peaceful year in Duval County.
"What we are asking people to do is talk it out and not shoot it out," he said.
He wants 2020 to start with a ceasefire, a similar push from last March where he called for no shootings for a week. There was one deadly shooting during that time in 2019. In the week prior, there were five.
"We have to be a lot more proactive and not simply reactionary in terms of this issue," Frazier said. "We've got to change our attitude, our approach and our rules of engagement."
The Florida Times-Union counted 158 homicides in Duval County in 2019 - the most since the newspaper started keeping track in 2006.
Frazier wants to see more of an effort from church and city leaders in addressing the crime. He says the creation of Cure Violence, a city lead anti-violence program started last June, is the right first step but it shouldn't be the only one.
"Each of us has a role to play," he said.