MOULTRIE – Due to the amount of attendees, vehicles were parked in the grass during the first Put Down the Guns Rally hosted in the parking lot of 50 Yard Line Bar and Grill on West Central.
The event was organized by Carol Simpson, founder and president of Eyvone’s Porch In-Centive, or E.P.I.C.
“We must stop these sensitive killings in Colquitt County,” said Simpson during her introduction. “I have lived in Northwest Moultrie for the past 36 years, and we all know gun violence is clearly an issue here, but it’s something we can all band together on and take action to prevent.”
Laquita Smith Bridges, another representative for E.P.I.C., gave her opening remarks for the event.
“We are gathered here together as a community that’s going to stand against gun violence and advocate for a safer and more peaceful neighborhood,” said Bridges. “Today is the day to say enough is enough.”
As supporters arrived, in addition to a program, each person was handed a packet that included crime rates from 2012-2021 and a list of some Moultrie residents who lost their lives due to fatal shootings.
There were 38 individuals listed, with the oldest fatal incident being from 2013.
“My oldest granddaughter’s father was gunned down in 2013,” said Simpson. “It was very unnecessary, something about a stolen television.”
Several others gave their support to this cause.
“Gun violence is a problem throughout the entire nation, and unfortunately, Moultrie, Georgia has not escaped that,” said Major Bill McIntosh. “I appreciate that there are people who want to help emphasize this issue and work to show our young people that guns are a serious problem and that they do kill.”
“It’s more important that we start coming together as a group instead of just talking about this on social media,” said Coach Darius Dawson. “Our young people are our future, and without them we don’t have a future. It’s going to take each and every one of us as adults to stick together and guide them in the right direction.”
“I was raised right here in Northwest Moutrie, and I worked on the police force here for 15 years,” said Berlin Chief of Police Freddie Williams. “A couple weeks ago my daughter was going to visit her grand-daddy on First Avenue and she saw two cars shooting at each other. She cried for days because she knows, with me being in law enforcement, that guns do bad things to people. She wants to know why they are trying to kill each other.”
Several of the city’s youth were also in attendance, including Demaria Daniels and Alexis Barge from the Gentlemen’s Club.
Daniels performed a poem she had written for this event titled “Put the Guns Down.”
In a perfect summary to the event’s purpose, Simpson quoted David Hogg, cofounder and board member for March for our Lives:
“We can choose to be hopeful, try and possibly fail, or not be hopeful and give up and definitely fail.”