Brooklyn community turns to faith, hoping to end brutal cycle of gun violence

East Flatbush, Brooklyn (WABC) — Families moved by gun violence gathered in Brooklyn Monday night to console each other and find ways to end the atrocities.

The LaGuardia High School choir sang a song of faith and hope at Brooklyn’s Clarendon Road Church.

An audience of people who have lost loved ones to gun violence, some of whom spoke of the bitter but unbreakable bond they share.

Among them was Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. He lost his biological brother to gun violence and never felt supported by the justice system he now represents.

“The person who shot and killed my brother was put on trial and sentenced to 10 years, but it didn’t feel like justice,” Gonzalez said.

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Many of those assembled on Monday night have never seen justice while the murderers of their children roam among us. For others, the arrest offered only cold comfort.

“The person who did the act is in custody, but my son is dead,” said Roy Holder.

Holder lost his 19-year-old son, an assistant professor, just four months ago. He is desperately trying to find something positive in the overwhelming sadness he feels every day.

“We have to. I mean, how do you deal with losing a child? There’s a reason, so I’m trying to make sure there’s a reason this all happened.”

In the end, all they are left with is trying to find the light in the darkness, and perhaps be someone else’s light.

“I sat in my office at home and looked at his picture and saw all the things we were doing to donate funds to help young children and that we donated his organs. It feels like a fact… Well done Dad. Well done,” said Holder.

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