Stop the Violence march, rally set for Feb. 27 in Donaldsonville

The Sunrise Community Group will host a Stop the Violence march and rally in Donaldsonville Feb. 27 at 1 p.m.

Glenn Price, chair of group, shared details of the event Feb. 22 during the Donaldsonville City Council meeting.

He also invited members of the media to the event, and shared recent crime statistics obtained from the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office.

According to a flyer shared with the Donaldsonville Chief, APSO reported nine shootings in less than two months of 2022. Dates included: one on Jan. 3, two incidents on Jan. 18, one each on Jan. 19, Jan. 23, Jan. 25, and an apparent murder-suicide Jan. 30. There were also shootings on Feb. 11 and Feb. 14.

Price said members of the group thought it was time to address the ongoing issue.

"We have the support of the entire community for this," he told the council.

The march will include two areas of the city: the first location meet-up will be the Care South parking lot in the Port Barrow area, and the second location will be the Marchand Meat Market parking lot. The group plans to go past the railroad underpass and march down St. Vincent.

The march will end at the River Road African American Museum's Rosenwald School.

"We're going to show our children we're not just talking about this problem, we're doing something about it," Price said.

The rally will include speakers, including mothers who have lost children to violence over the years, he added. It will also include food, bounce houses, and a GameStop gift card giveaway.

"We're going to bring forth more and more positive programs," he said.

The council's Charles Brown applauded the group's "effort to make a stand." He also asked for consistency in tackling the issue.

"We're dealing with something that didn't happen overnight, and it won't go away overnight," Brown said.

"The whole idea is to address this and hopefully it will reach the hearts and minds of people and we won't have these shootings," Price said.