Vigil held to remember those killed by gun violence in Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- June 7 is Gun Violence Awareness Day.

"The symptom is precise overmuch alive, precise real," said Frances Morrison, a person of Lisa Kauls.

"Because we're doing this memorial today, it's brought backmost a batch of feelings."

Raw emotions were inactive connected the aboveground for the families and friends of victims of convulsive crime.

They're channeling their anguish into action, gathering astatine Downtown Fresno's Courthouse Park to retrieve the quality toll of homicide numbers.

A memorial quilt showed the faces of people, immoderate of who were killed by weapon violence.

Their loved ones deterioration a color, symbolizing their solidarity.

"This weapon unit memorial, this orangish consciousness week, started successful Chicago by a 15-year-old girls friends," said Morrison, "two years aft she was gunned down successful a park."

That shared symptom brought the parent of Janessa Ramirez to enactment the vigil, 9 years aft her girl was killed by a stray slug successful West Central Fresno.

One of the faces connected the quilt is Nick Kauls.

Nick would've turned 23-years-old this year. Instead, helium volition stay everlastingly 17.

His mother, Lisa Kauls, has a tattoo successful his honor.

She said Nick was a loving son, who loved to skateboard.

"When you accidental similar six years, you think, that's a agelong time," said Kauls. "But to maine honestly, it feels similar yesterday. There are days erstwhile I conscionable can't function. I conscionable outcry and it doesn't spell away. Time doesn't heal."

Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp supports the victims' families, saying they're not unsocial successful their combat for justice.

"They are not conscionable different case," said Smittcamp. "They're not conscionable different number. We truly worth them and we sympathize with them.'

During the vigil, Smittcamp shared numbers from the Fresno Police Department.

The information shows that truthful acold this year, determination person been 13 murders.

Last year, determination were astatine slightest 35 murders successful total. In 2022, determination were 60 compared to 74 successful 2021.

There was besides a peculiar convey you to instrumentality enforcement during Friday's vigil.

Kauls said spreading consciousness astir weapon unit successful the assemblage doesn't extremity with the vigil.

She's hoping to bash a victims memorial and assistance springiness much enactment to families who've been affected by weapon violence.

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