ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pa. — An area church is part of a broader movement to remember people lost to gun violence and to encourage people to do something about it.
The memorial sitting outside Sewickley United Methodist Church is impossible to miss. Sixty-five T-shirts sit on 65 poles, each representing someone lost to gun violence in Allegheny County.
“We’ve become numb to it and have stopped talking about it a little,” Rev. Hannah Loughman said. She says her church was asked to take part in the movement just after the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
Each shirt bears the name, age and death date of a person killed between October 2021 and June 2022.
Some names probably sound familiar, like Matthew Steffy Ross. Ross was killed in an Easter mass shooting on the North Side. Ibrahim Diallo was murdered while being driven home from work. Christina Spicuzza was shot to death while driving an Uber.
Victims of all ages are represented.
“There’s a 1-year-old. There’s a 3-year-old. There’s a couple of 12- and 13-year-olds. To see it doesn’t allow people to ignore it,” Loughman said.
She says the response to the memorial has been positive overall.
Channel 11 spoke with Mario Faggioli as he passed by the church.
“Especially when you see the younger ages on there. The one that caught my eye was Dayvon Vickers, the young (man) that was killed in Homewood. It’s just, you know, senseless. It’s hard to look at,” Faggioli said.
The church is also providing packets that can be filled out and mailed to lawmakers regarding gun legislation.
“I know we feel helpless. What can we possibly do? Well, this display is set up to give you something to do,” Loughman said.
The display will be at the church until Sept. 5.
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