LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Neighborhood members gathered at Second Baptist Church, within the Historic Westside, on Sunday, with a mission of ending gun violence. The occasion marked the fifth annual “Stop the Violence” neighborhood march in Las Vegas.
“Unfortunately, it’s one of those things where as the number of homicide cases go up, we do see the number of families that participate go up,” funeral arranger Courtney Hemphill, who’s been a driving power behind the occasion since its inception, informed 8 Information Now.
Vondasha Rayford was one of many moms who participated for the primary time this 12 months. Her 19-year-old son, Cruz Alejandre Rayford, was killed on July 9, 2025.
“Everyone is going through their own hurt, and I feel like this is the type of stuff that will help us come together,” Rayford stated.
The Rayfords moved to Las Vegas from Los Angeles in 2012, hoping for a safer life. She stated her son had simply graduated from highschool when he was shot.
Neighborhood members gathered at Second Baptist Church, within the Historic Westside, on Sunday, with a mission of ending gun violence. The occasion marked the fifth annual “Stop the Violence” neighborhood march in Las Vegas. (KLAS)
Neighborhood members gathered at Second Baptist Church, within the Historic Westside, on Sunday, with a mission of ending gun violence. The occasion marked the fifth annual “Stop the Violence” neighborhood march in Las Vegas. (KLAS)
Neighborhood members gathered at Second Baptist Church, within the Historic Westside, on Sunday, with a mission of ending gun violence. The occasion marked the fifth annual “Stop the Violence” neighborhood march in Las Vegas. (KLAS)
Neighborhood members gathered at Second Baptist Church, within the Historic Westside, on Sunday, with a mission of ending gun violence. The occasion marked the fifth annual “Stop the Violence” neighborhood march in Las Vegas. (KLAS)
Neighborhood members gathered at Second Baptist Church, within the Historic Westside, on Sunday, with a mission of ending gun violence. The occasion marked the fifth annual “Stop the Violence” neighborhood march in Las Vegas. (KLAS)
“I would tell him ‘I love you, I’m sorry I couldn’t be there to protect you, as I always have, and I hate that it happened to you’,” Rayford shared.
Aaronya Lee, who has attended this occasion yearly because it started, shared an analogous expertise.
“We originally came to Nevada to avoid a lot of gang violence in California, but we were plagued by it again in 2021,” Lee stated.
Lee skilled double loss in her life, shedding her son in 2004 and nephew in 2021.
“The families are already aware,” she defined. “We’re the ones that lost a loved one. But the communities, legislation, things like that, changing gun laws, is important.”
Lee stated she believes the answer is additional schooling on the topic. She additionally hopes extra neighborhood leaders will be part of the march sooner or later.
In line with knowledge from Las Vegas Metropolitan Police, there have been 58 murders this 12 months to date valleywide, which is a 28% lower in comparison with final 12 months.
