SUMTER, S.C. — Two brothers from Sumter, already well known for their activism, are walking 20 miles to bring attention to the growing issue of gun violence affecting the youth in their community.
Davon and Tavon Woods spent Monday morning walking through downtown Sumter to honor the lives lost to gun violence, particularly 16-year-old Ny’Heem Burgess and 18-year-old Khanesia Commander, two teens who died after an accidental shooting at the Palmetto Inn.
“To make sure we keep the lives of these young teens that were lost tragically, make sure we keep their names alive,” said Davon Woods, emphasizing the importance of remembrance.
The Woods brothers invited the public to join their walk, with family members of Burgess and Commander in attendance.
"They still had their whole life ahead of them. They didn’t have kids to carry on their legacy, so just to be here to continue on their legacy, it's amazing. I wouldn't be anywhere else,” said Barbara Holliday, aunt to Burgess and Commander.
The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office says it has seen an increase in shootings among youth, specifically between the ages of 14 to their late 20s.
Where are the guns coming from?
"With what we’re seeing now, we have a lot of auto break-ins, people leaving vehicles unlocked," said Chief Deputy Hampton Garnder with Sumter County Sheriff's Office. "I think, too, that the way technology is nowadays, these millennials, they can get them off black market, the internet, able to get these guns ... they are getting switches for these guns making them fully automatic.”
The brothers hope their walk will inspire the community to address the gun violence problem head-on. "We have to come together; there is no other way to do it," said Woods.
The brothers will complete another 10-mile walk on Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the Sumter Courthouse. They encourage anyone to join, even if they cannot walk the entire distance.