Women rally to end violence in Fort Wayne

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) A group of nearly 20 people gathered on the corner of East Rudisill Blvd and South Anthony Blvd to protest the increase of violence in Fort Wayne.

Heaven’s Helping Hands is a group that was started about two months ago by Wendy Morris whose son was gunned down after an argument over a dice game six years ago.

"I thought about doing this three years ago, but I just didn’t have the heart to do it, but after Helen Mhoon’s son, Chris, was killed, it was just in my heart that it was something I needed to do," Morris said.

Helen Mhoon's son, Chris, was murdered this past June at Cap'n Cork. While there was surveillance video and witnesses, it took some time before an arrest was made because people would not come forward and speak with police. Mhoon said that made the worst day of her life even more difficult.

“We’re trying to move on, we’re going to have to get to a some semblance of a new normal per say, and it’ll never be the same," Mhoon said. "Nothing will ever be the same, he’ll never walk through the door. We’ll never see him again, so it’s just horrible. ”

"A lot of people tell you that it's going to get better, it's going to get better, but I don't think it's going to get better," Morris said. "I think that it gets different if that makes sense, but no it doesn't' get better."

That shared pain these mothers feel is exactly why they rally. They say they don't want other families to experience what they've been through. This was the group's fourth rally, and each time the women say support from the community grows.

“We’re losing our young men, and if we don’t stand up, we’re going to lose a generation of young men," said Allen Underwood, a supporter. 

Morris says she knows rallying won’t end the violence, but she hopes the awareness they’re raising is a start.

“We’re rated as one of the best cities to have a family and grow up, we need to prove that," Mhoon said.

If you’d like to join or show your support, Heaven's Helping Hands will be having its next rally September  13 ^th on the corner of Calhoun and Rudisill.