Knoxville TN. USA~, The brother-in-law of Brian Dickey would have turned 41 on May 24. Instead, it was a day to honor his passing and spread awareness of Knoxville’s gun violence. In December, Demetrius Bomar was shot and died on Lay Avenue; his family is still in mourning. Rebuilding your family and yourself is a continuous process, according to Dickey. “He was always the life and soul of the party.”
Even though he carries a gun himself, Dickey told WVLT News that he was tired of the violence in his neighborhood and is asking for tighter gun control regulations. In order to honor the lives that are still alive, his company, Friends BBQ, sponsored a Stop the Violence picnic at Harriet Tubman Park. Two Knox Elite security officers who worked the event are already preparing for their 5th annual Memorial Day automobile trip, which will take place on Tuesday between 12:00 and 1:00 p.m.
They will gather at Ashley Nicole Park at 2:00 p.m., where the group will also hold a balloon and dove release before leaving. The organization is commemorating the twenty lives lost in the previous year this year. It’s personal, they claimed. Tawaud Mattress said, “Back in 2009, I witnessed one of my friends die on the porch and as a result, we came together with the automobile trip so the community could come out and support the different families. According to them, the agony of losing a loved one never goes away. “I just have to take it day by day, and he’s got to live deeply down it still hurts,” Undra Smith said.
The recent incidents had an impact on MEDIC’s regional critical and low inventory levels, WVLT News also learned on Wednesday. O-type blood has been consistently needed for the last eight to twelve weeks, according to Kristy Altman, director of communications and public relations, as it is required for a number of trauma procedures connected to car accidents and recent shootings. Because of the tremendous demand, they risk running out of stock. When you think of 20 units, that’s a lot that comes out of an inventory, Altman said. “Three to four years ago, there was a shooting locally and immediately went through 20 units right at the hospital.” With the assistance of the neighborhood, Dickey intends to arrange more free picnics.
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