AUGUSTA, Ga () – June is National Gun Violence Awareness Month and members of the community came together Friday night to bring attention to this issue.

Families, community leaders and local leaders all gathered at the Jessye Norman Amphitheater to reflect and discuss ways to prevent future tragedies.

There was story telling, moments of reflection and a balloon release.

Elected officials spoke at the event including Richmond County Sheriff Eugene Brantley and District One Commissioner Jordan Johnson. 

Johnson spoke to the crowd about his personal battle with gun violence in his family.

“I remember looking at my cousin in his casket, I remember watching my aunt scream and I can still hear her screaming. I can see my family still consoling her and even to this day on his birthday I can still see how she attempts to address the pain she still feels 16 years after his killing,” said Johnson.

Hope Ciccio lost her son in 2019 and bravely shared his story at the event. 

She says it was wonderful to see the community come together to learn more about wear orange and gun violence awareness.

“It helped bring awareness and keep my sons story out there and I’m praying that we get justice for him. It means a lot that the community is coming together and the sheriff’s department is coming together trying to resolve the issues that are going on in Augusta,” Ciccio said.

Phyllis Jackson, Local Group Lead Volunteer for Moms Demand Action, explains what she hopes people learn from this event.

“I want people to understand that the grieving process is an everyday process, I lost my son in 2019 but today it seems like yesterday. I want people to understand that these children or these loved ones, their not statistics, they have names and those names have stories. I want people to recognize and understand that what you see on TV is not a game and it affects the community as a whole,” said Jackson.

Moms Demand Action and Georgia Shift hosted the evening of remembrance and call to action.

The Wear Orange campaign runs through Sunday.