Area religious and civil rights leaders hosting anti-violence vigil

Metro-east pastors and leaders of local civil rights organizations will host an anti-violence prayer vigil Monday in response to the recent deaths of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota, and police officers in Texas, according to an open letter from the group.

Last week, three consecutive days of shootings claimed the lives of seven men and wounded others.

On Tuesday, Alton Sterling, a 37-year-old black man who police say had a gun, was shot and killed by Baton Rouge officers in a parking lot where he regularly sold homemade CDs. The next day, Philando Castile, a 32-year-old black man, was shot and killed by police during a traffic stop in suburban St. Paul.

During a protest of these police shootings on Thursday, five Dallas police officers were killed by a sniper attack: Brent Thompson, 43; Patrick Zamarripa, 32; Michael Krol, 40; Michael Smith, 55; and Lorne Ahrens, 48.

“We are all heartbroken,” the letter from 15 area pastors and civil rights leaders states.

The religious leaders from across Madison and St. Clair counties and in St. Louis, as well as NAACP chapter presidents from Edwardsville, O’Fallon and East St. Louis, are urging elected officials to take action to prevent “senseless killings” of black men and women and police officers in the metro-east.

Bishop Geoffrey Dudley, Sr., of New Life in Christ Interdenominational Church in O’Fallon, noted in the letter that “such tragedies can strike close to home.” A Ballwin, Mo., police officer, Michael Flamion, was shot Friday during a traffic stop; and almost two years ago, Michael Brown, an 18-year-old black man, was shot and killed by police in Ferguson.

“We cannot let our guard down and think we are immune from such tragedies,” Dudley stated.

East St. Louis NAACP President Stanley Franklin said the events have reminded him of segregation in American history.

“This is an outrage and has the vestige of Jim Crow and lynching,” Franklin stated.

Rev. Montonio “Monty” Weatherall, of Deliverance Mission Christian Church in Swansea, who is responsible for bringing the group of pastors together, said the recent fatal shootings are “sickening.”

“... We must do more to combat these killings,” Weatherall stated. O’Fallon NAACP President Francine Nicholson suggests in the letter that the metro-east build stronger partnerships between law enforcement and community leaders.

The anti-violence event hosted by the congregations and organizations will take place at 6:30 p.m. Monday at New Life in Christ Interdenominational Church, 689 Scott Troy Road, in O’Fallon.

Among those who signed the open letter are:

▪  Rev. Troy Benton of St. John United Methodist Church in Edwardsville

▪  Rev. Michael Bradford of Changing Lives Ministries in Washington Park

▪  Rev. Juan Conway of Mt. Nebo Missionary Baptist Church in Madison

▪  Organization President John Cunningham of Edwardsville NAACP

▪  Bishop Geoffrey V. Dudley, Sr., D.Min. of New Life in Christ Interdenominational Church in O’Fallon

▪  Organization President Stanley Franklin of East St. Louis NAACP

▪  Rev. Kendall Granger of New Life Community Church in East St. Louis

▪  Rev. David Hawkins of Living the Word Church in Collinsville

▪  Rev. Paul Hutson of Joshua House Ministries Christian Church in St. Louis

▪  Rev. Antwain Jackson of The Equation Church in St. Louis

▪  Rev. Lonnie Johnson of Shekinah Glory Church in Quincy

▪  Organization President Francine Nicholson of O’Fallon Metro East NAACP

▪  Rev. Norma Patterson of United Congregations of the Metro East in Madison

▪  Rev. Montonio S. Weatherall of Deliverance Mission Christian Church in Swansea

▪  Rev. Ron Young of Victory Church St. Louis in Cahokia

This story was originally published July 10, 2016 at 2:02 PM with the headline "Area religious and civil rights leaders hosting anti-violence vigil."