‘Being the solution’: Anti-Violence group remains committed to community

CHARLOTTE — A pop-up event was hosted by the Alternatives to Violence Program Thursday night where activists said they remain committed in the Beatties Ford Road corridor.

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The emotional and physical wounds are still fresh for a victim of the July 9 random shooting spree that terrorized Charlotte residents.

“I thank God for being with me each and every day,” the woman, who didn’t want to be identified, told Channel 9′s Jonathan Lowe.

She was shot while sitting in her apartment along Catherine Simmons Avenue.

The bullet fragments are still lodged in her shoulder.

“It’s in the muscle of my shoulder,” she said.

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The shooting victim was at AVP’s event, which provided resources for the community.

“More people get out here and participate,” said Larry Mims, the outreach coordinator for AVP. “We got to help each other. We got to pray for each other.”

Mims said the activists remain committed.

“We make these connections and build these relationships with people and try to connect them to the resources they need,” Mims said.

‘Being the solution’: Anti-Violence group remains committed to community

They want to ensure the community has everything they need whether it’s food, water, housing, healthcare, or doses of Narcan.

The help doesn’t stop there.

Christopher Dennis is one of the first business owners to redevelop the area bringing TD Bank and Chase Bank.

“We’ve sustained in the last few months a lot of damage that was caused by mental health, coupled by substance abuse,” Dennis said. “The thing is, I’m not giving up and today shows our effort of instead of talking about the problem, being the solution.”

Mims said while some believe the area is a lost cause, the advocates are committed to restoring hope.

“We see it from a different perspective,” Mims said. “A lot of people might say, ‘What about the drugs?’ Our main focus at Alternatives to Violence is just that, violence. In the last three years, we’ve seen progress.”

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