Eastern Carolina youth speak out against gun violence

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - Millions of people across the United States have expressed their condolences to the loved ones lost in the recent string of mass shootings, most notably the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

Many even have expressed their demands for reformed gun laws to prevent other mass shootings from threatening the lives of children and Americans in general.

And Tuesday evening, those expressions came from children themselves, in the form of the Jacksonville Youth Council.

WITN was at Jacksonville City Hall where a gun violence awareness ceremony took place.

The goal of the event was for the youth to be there for each other in a difficult time and for them to make clear what they would like to see change.

Morgan McRae is the chairperson of the youth council, as well as a rising senior at Jacksonville High School. She spoke about how the Uvalde school shooting has impacted her.

“The tragedy has impacted me by really just becoming more aware of my surroundings and honestly just being aware that there’s dangers everywhere, even at school,” Mcrae said. “I feel like school is a place students should be able to go and feel safe, and seeing every day on TV students being killed at school is not a good feeling.”

McRae then elaborated upon what the mission of the ceremony Tuesday was.

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