DEARBORN HEIGHTS, Mich. (WXYZ) — It is an urgent call to prayer for all of those touched by senseless acts of violence including mass shootings.
In the name of peace, leaders of various faiths are addressing tragedies including Oxford, Buffalo, and Uvalde.
Inside the Islamic House of Wisdom in Dearborn Heights, there’s a moment of reflection and renewal, an opportunity to condemn killing and bloodshed like the type we’ve seen in Uvalde, Buffalo, and Oxford.
“They’re talking about hate and violence. Gun crimes. These kinds of things. A solution is one community and one family,” says Imam Mohammed Ali Elahi.
Elahi led the prayer for a safer world in the wake of a rise in hate and mass shootings.
“This is the responsibility of parents. So much of this violence is related to irresponsible parenting,” he says.
“What we want to achieve is to voice concern and call for change because safety is a human rights issue,” says organizer Micho Assi.
“We need to learn to come together and love each other again,” says Dearborn Height Police Chief Jerrod Hart.
Police, politicians, and our religious leaders agree that finding common ground must be part of the solution, along with addressing mental health and access to guns.
“They can’t buy alcohol or a lottery ticket. They shouldn’t be able to buy a weapon,” says Sherry Gay-Dagnogo, Detroit School Board.
“I’d like to take this back to Ghadeer Sarah, that was an unfortunate event that happened that could have been prevented. I hope additional safety measures are put in place now,” says Mariam Charara, Exec. Director, ACRL.
As you just heard reference to Ghadeer Salah, a young Yemeni American girl killed by a speeding driver on Belle Isle, this message it meant to focus on all violence, not just involving guns.
