INDIANAPOLIS — Local groups are stepping up to curb this year's record-breaking violence around Indianapolis.
At the Jersi Shore Barber and Beauty Salon on the east side, there's real talk about an all-too real problem in the city: gun violence and the lives being taken or changed forever because of it.
“I was 14 when I got shot three times,” said Edward Holmes II, sitting in a barber’s chair.
Holmes is 39 now, but he’s never forgotten what happened to him when he was just a kid - or the path it sent him down.
“It was traumatizing," said Holmes. "Traumatizing. For a long time, I thought I needed a gun to protect myself, but I had to learn when I went to prison, being away from my family and stuff."
That’s why Holmes hopes a grassroots movement planned for Halloween weekend will convince people to put down their guns, if only for three days.
“Cease fire, cease fire,” said Della Brown.
Brown believes that message came from God, waking her from a sound sleep last month.
“I reached out to Ron Gee and we’ve been on the ground getting things going ever since,” Brown explained.
“This is definitely a people’s movement," Gee said. "Every door we knocked on they said, ‘Yeah, we’re with it, we’re with it."
Gee started Cease Fire Indy four years ago, hoping to spread a message of non-violence.
“The message was cease fire, spread love,” said Gee.
Gee was shot in 2019.
“It was Christmas Eve. I was shot on the highway,” said Gee.
At that point, Cease Fire Indy ceased to be, but that all changed last month with a call from Brown.
“I believe we can do it, if we do it together,” Gee said.
That’s why they’ve enlisted help from 100 businesses so far, offering free or discounted services during Cease Fire Weekend.
“Barbershops, beauty salons, restaurants, auto repair services and bakeries,” Brown said of some of the participation they’ve received so far.
The idea is to get folks in the door and then share a message.
“The message is unity, but it’s also accountability. We definitely need to be accountable for our actions,” said Gee.
“This will never work with one person doing it alone,” added Dannielle Hurse who is also helping plan the event.
Hurse, who herself is a business owner, is getting other local businesses on board.
“I think we’re all fed up, business owners, just regular people. We all just wanted to get together and do our part,” Hurse said.
For his part, Edward Holmes is willing to share his story and message to those who think violence is the answer.
“I was a knucklehead and I had to learn the hard way,” said Holmes.
“Don’t just get mad and grab a gun,” he cautioned.
Businesses who are interested in signing on can contact Dannielle Hurse on Facebook under the username Hurse_business_page