INDIANAPOLIS — Dozens of peacemakers have been working behind the scenes in Indianapolis to reduce gun violence. More than a year into the city initiative, 13News rode along with two peacemakers determined to make a difference in the city they love after they were affected by gun violence.
"We are going to the far east side, one of our hardest hit areas with violence and the area that, personally, I'm the most familiar with," said Shardae Hoskins.
Hoskins and David Lee III were both born and raised on Indy's east side.
"Started losing classmates in high school to gun violence, and I wanted to be a part of the change," said Hoskins. "If someone like me who's from this city, who loves this city, doesn't push for change, then who else is going to do it?"
Hoskins is leading the city's gun violence reduction strategy.
As an outreach worker day and night, Lee recognizes a little of himself in these streets.
"I lost my oldest brother in 2005, November 28th to be exact. He was our rock," said Lee. "He loved everybody."
Lee and other peacemakers estimate they have saved 40 lives in the first year of the program.
"Yes, we are all human. We all have flaws. We all have been through something, but what are going to do to change that? What are we doing to do to move past that, to make it a little bit better?" said Lee.
Often times, they're one of the first on the scene, along with the police.
"This is my community. I love the folks that I serve. The folks that I serve love us. We look like them. We dress like them. We are them," said Hoskins.
However, building trust and seeing change takes time.
"We try to be the 'realest' version of a support system that some people have never seen," said Lee.
The goal is a 10 percent reduction in shootings, and it's working.
For Lee, the pain of losing his brother will never go away.
"I truly, truly believe, if my brother was here today, he would be doing the work. He would be doing this job," said Lee.
Lee and Hoskins are determined now to raise each of their sons in the same community where they were raised.
Funding for the city's peacemaker program goes through 2024. Hoskins is determined to provide monthly data to the mayor to show this is working and be able to extend their work.