Praying for peace in Chattanooga

One of 3 overnight shootings happened a block from where vigil leader's son died

This parking lot of this business at 1201 E. 37th St., seen Sunday, Sept. 20, 2015, in Chattanooga, Tenn., was the scene of one of three Saturday night shooting scenes in the city.
This parking lot of this business at 1201 E. 37th St., seen Sunday, Sept. 20, 2015, in Chattanooga, Tenn., was the scene of one of three Saturday night shooting scenes in the city.

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* For more information about Chattanooga: The Third Way call Mary Smith at 423-902-2761.* Connie Hatten, of Touch My Life Ministry, will host a Stop Killing Rally at Booker T. Washington State Park from 1 to 7 p.m. Sunday. Cornelius Carroll, former gang leader and author of “Black Gangs in America” will be the speaker.* James Moreland operates Healing on Both Sides, a support group for parents whose children have died by violence. His number is 423-364-1697.

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* Man shot early Sunday morning in Chattanooga nightclub parking lot* Second area shooting in 24 hours on North Willow Street, police say* Chattanooga Police: Two shot on Camellia Drive

Just a block away from where 20-year old Jordan Clark was fatally shot this summer, another 18-year-old male, Delvante White, was shot early Sunday.

Later the same day, Jordan Clark's mother and many others gathered for a prayer vigil against the violence that kills and wounds so many of the city's young men.

"We want to break into the cycle of revenge that fuels guns and we want to make high-profile reconciliation, not revenge," said the Rev. Charles Neal, minister emeritus at First-Centenary United Methodist Church.

White's shooting, which happened just after midnight on North Willow Street, was one of three shootings injuring four people Saturday night.

About two hours later, gunfire sounded in the parking lot of Bootsie's nightclub at 1201 E. 37th St. at 2:31 a.m. Sunday. Tremail Harmon, 25, was wounded. He told police he was standing outside when he felt a bullet hit his neck and heard a vehicle drive off.

And at 10:49 p.m. Saturday, 23-year-old Charles Jackson and 21-year-old Kia Pines were shot while standing near 3922 Jasmine St. in the Cromwell Hills public housing development. Police said none of the victims' wounds were life threatening.

Local ministers, parishioners and Jordan Clark's mother, Satedra Smith, led the prayer vigil and walk Sunday evening, calling for an end to violence and reminding the city that all lives matter.

"We have to come together to take back our streets and show love," said Smith, a 41-year-old mother of seven.

She marched with more than 50 people from various congregations and families all seeking to end violence in Chattanooga and honor the lives of the 20 people killed so far this year.

"We, as a people of faith, affirm that an eye for an eye will only make us blind," said Steve Derthick, of St. Elmo United Methodist Church.

The walkers called themselves Chattanooga: The Third Way. Instead of there being only a winner or a loser, a third way is reconciliation, explained the Rev. Cathy Harrington, minister of Unitarian Universalist Church of Chattanooga

The crowd marched from the Hunter Museum plaza across the Walnut Street Bridge and to Coolidge Park before lighting candles and singing, "Let there be peace on Earth and let it begin with me."

After the vigil, black and white people, young and old, shared chicken fingers, cheese and chips.

Smith leaned her head on her sister Ivy Smith's shoulder as the crowd held hands and sang. The prayer vigil was just one day after vandals set fire to the makeshift memorial for her son, who was gunned down Aug. 25.

She and her family erected another memorial near the first one and said they choose to believe that showing love will overpower hate.

"It's awful," said Ivy Smith, "But just be still. "Please don't retaliate."

She described Clark, her nephew, as happy and always respectful, but also conceded he was a gang member. Police have said the shooting was gang-related.

Satedra Smith said she is starting a foundation called Jordan's Light to support other mothers whose children have died violently. The foundation will help families with funds for burials.

Smith and her family took to the streets with T-shirts and donation jugs to raise money for Clark's funeral. Within two days, Chattanooga and the surrounding area gave Smith's family $6,000, she said.

Harrington organized the prayer walk and vigil after hearing Smith's story and attending her son's funeral.

Harrington's daughter, 26-year-old Leslie Ann Mazzara, was murdered 11 years ago in Napa, Calif. Since then she's been attending the funerals of other young people who died by violence and reaching out to mothers.

"It's going to be mothers who will transform violence to compassion," said Harrington.

She is especially reaching out to black mothers like Smith. Her church passed a resolution to support the "Black Lives Matter" campaign, but she and other people attending the march are unsure of how they can help.

Neal called for more recognition of a person's life when he is killed. He suggested the city have a ceremony at the end of the year honoring the people who died violently. That also would build reconciliation between divided communities, said Neal.

"We feel that the city did a wonderful job of honoring the five military men who lost their lives, but there are 15 or 20 others since January who have lost their lives and we feel it's so important that the city honor them," said Neal. "From God's perspective, every life is sacred and valuable."

Contact staff writer Yolanda Putman at yputman@timesfreepress.com or 757-6431.

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