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DETROIT (WJBK) - It was as much a walk towards home as it was one for it.
More than a hundred people met in northwest Detroit to protest violence Friday and were led by a man who’s been on the receiving end of it.
“I know what it’s like to be a victim of a gunshot wound and there are thousands of people in Detroit who have been victims of gunshot wounds,” said Judge Terrence Berg.
Berg was shot on his porch in the university district last year. He’s on the road to recovery, and he and his wife say their commitment to Detroit is stronger than ever.
“No city’s worth wasting, and there’s so many good parts of Detroit. And 99.9 percent of the people here are wonderful and deserve a great life,” said Anita Sevier, Berg’s wife.
The Good Friday walk for hope took aim at gun violence. Berg’s son, Teddy, made an impassioned plea for more reform.
Demonstrators said the key is investing in education, giving people an opportunity.
“So many kids in the city don’t have jobs because they just aren’t available, or they’re not getting the skills that they need to have,” said David Lingholm, a university district resident.
Berg said a lot of good things are happening in Detroit, but a lot of good things are happening in the city, too.
“If people knew that, if they felt the experience that we’ve had, of the 99.9 percent good things, then it wouldn’t be so easy to just condemn Detroit,” Berg said.
Berg was shot in his knee and said it’s still a little stiff, but he can walk a few miles with no problems. As for Kevin Smith, the man accused of shooting him, he’s set to go to trial April 27 and Berg is ready to testify against him.