Michigan pastor responds to mass shooting

By Ken Coleman, Michigan Advance

After a mass shooting at a splash pad in Oakland County over the weekend, metro Detroit faith leaders gathered on Tuesday in Southfield to call for an end to gun violence.

At the Brooklands Plaza Splash Pad in Rochester Hills on Saturday, a gunman opened fire on children and parents, leaving nine people wounded, including two children.

The news conference was held at St. David’s Episcopal Church and the group announced a series of gun buybacks scheduled this summer. The buybacks will feature on-site destruction of donated firearms.

One of the clergy members at the news conference was the Rev. Barry Randolph, pastor of Church of the Messiah of Detroit. His congregation has led anti-violence rallies and marches for several years.

“I’m angry that we have to do this again. Again,” Randolph said.

Another organizer was the Rev. Chris Yaw.

“We’ve found that it’s difficult to collect from municipalities and have them destroyed,” Yaw said. “We found it’s difficult to get them actually destroyed.”

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