June 7 is National Gun Violence Awareness Day, and in Fort Worth, several people touched by gun violence gathered to remember their loved ones. The event was organized by Mothers of Murdered Angels.
This comes on the heels of new police data out of Fort Worth showing an uptick in gun violence.
LaKeisha Mackey said it’s not easy sharing her story. But does for her son. 19-year-old Derrick Johnson was shot and killed in February 2020 in Grand Prairie.
According to the Grand Prairie Police Department, officers responded to the shooting at an apartment complex in the 2600 block of South Forum Drive that day.
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“As he was trying to run to the house it looked like he didn’t make it because his lungs shut down immediately,” said Mackey.
Johnson was the victim of gun violence. Mackey told NBC 5 her son died in her arms. There have since been five arrests and convictions, but she said the trauma remains.
“Yes, he came into this world in my arms, but they don’t understand how he has left out of this world in my arms and how I have to deal with this and struggle with the pain,” she said.
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Out of that pain, Mothers of Murdered Angels was founded, the brainchild of Mackey’s mother, Melinda Hamilton.
Data shows in the last 30 days, there have been eight homicides in Fort Worth, compared to just one homicide in the previous month. Five of those homicides happened within the last ten days.
Enough is enough,” Mackey said. “We’re on a journey and it doesn’t stop here. We’re going to continue to go and leave a legacy and we’re going to leave it for our generation.”
