Community prayer service in Dunbar honors victims of gun violence

Neighbors gathered Tuesday afternoon in Dunbar to pray for peace at the 8th Annual Community Prayer Service.

The event aims to help community members who have lost loved ones to gun violence cope with the pain.

“The goal of tonight’s event basically is to restore unity where it has been lost in our community,” said Taunya Cola, Dunbar Community Neighborhood Watch member.

From February 2017 to now, 40 people were killed due to violence in Lee County.

“It makes me feel pretty good knowing that we actually have someone standing behind us and all this that has taken place in our lives as we start our new lives without our kids,” Fort Myers resident Yulonda Bell said.

The mother of Trayvon Martin, Sybrina Fulton, was scheduled to be the guest speaker at the event but was unable to make it.