CHICAGO – Helping put an end to senseless gun violence is at the top of many people’s agendas this Labor Day.

On Saturday, the Black and Brown Unity Prayer Walk was held and featured faith leaders, residents and community organizers fed up with senseless violence. They met at the intersection of Grand Avenue and Division and walked through Edgewater, hoping to spread a message that violence is not the answer.

“I really want to put some emphasis on the church, the Body of Christ, it is important for us to be out here front and center,” said Alees Edwards, 11th Police District Councilmember.

Family members, friends and the community were also out marching for justice on behalf of 13-year-old Ashawn Davis.

“This is my third nephew that was killed,” said Shawn Childs of House of Hope Mentoring, who mentors at risk children and led Saturday’s rally. “He was just a loving kid, great kid, big smile, basketball player, sport figure, never been in trouble.”

According to Childs, Ashawn was at a friend’s house about two blocks away when he was shot and killed in an apartment building in the 600 block of North Kenmore on Sunday, Aug. 11. Childs said Ashawn’s mother had recently moved back to Chicago after leaving for a better life.

“To come back here and lose her baby boy that’s in seventh grade, that didn’t get a chance to graduate grammar school, it’s senseless and it hurts bad,” Childs said.

Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth, 48th Ward Aderwoman, hopes someone will speak up in the case.

“This is a peace rally where we all need to share the message that we all need to come together, especially right now where people want to protect themselves, maybe protect their own, but we need people to speak out,” she said.

“No kid in Chicago deserves to die. We pray we can get answers out this building. There’s somebody in this building that knows something; somebody heard something,” Childs added.

Organizers also said they will have a night church service in West Humboldt Park every week, starting Saturday night.

WGN News also followed up with the Chicago Police Department regarding Ashawn’s death and was told there are no updates in the case.

Childs encourages anyone with information or who needs help to call 312-487-6815 or email houseofhopefoundation1@gmail.com.