National Gun Violence Awareness Day protests held in Detroit, Grosse Pointe Woods

Protests held urging reform on National Gun Violence Awareness Day

This call to action comes one day after President Biden addressed the country Thursday evening urging Congress to take action against gun violence.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - All across Metro Detroit calls rang out to stop gun violence on National Gun Violence Awareness Day Friday.

This included activists in Detroit and Grosse Pointe Woods where protests were held today in a call for action.

"At what point are we going to come together and begin to make laws that stop the senseless gun violence," said Reggie "Reg" Davis, activist, former Wayne County commissioner, who attended the Detroit protest.

"Gun violence needs to stop especially in schools, children are dying," said Isabella Yoakam, a junior from Grosse Pointe North High School.

It comes one day after President Biden addressed the country Thursday evening urging Congress to take action against gun violence.

Activists in Detroit are also calling for action

"We don’t want to introduce 'poli-tricks' into this, what we want to do is introduce action," said Mouchettee Muhammad, activist, Cease Fire Youth Initiative

For these community leaders, action starts with communication they said.

"We need to gather together all of us and save lives together," Davis said. "The community needs to be at the table, community leaders, elected officials, the medical community."

"We have been trying to advocate against gun violence for quite some time," said Dr. Asha Shajahan, Beaumont Grosse Pointe. "When you look at something like gun violence, it’s preventable injury, it’s preventable death, and it’s the number one cause of death for children."

Doctors believes that screenings during medical visits can play a crucial factor in reducing gun violence.

"Make sure every physician is screening their patients for gun safety," Shajahan said. "If you have kids at home and you have a gun, is it in a safe place?"

The medical screenings should also look for signs of mental illness and depression in patients, so doctors can provide the right course of treatment, that can prevent someone from picking up a gun and using it commit a violent act.

Activists say taking the right steps now can help prevent another mass shooting.