(crowd clamoring) (basketball thudding) (basketball bangs) (crowd clamoring drowns out announcer) (whistle whistling) (crowd clamoring drowns out announcer) (crowd clamoring and clapping) - [Announcer] Take your time, please.

(basketball bangs) Three!

(crowd clamoring) (basketball thudding) (whistle whistling) - Labor Day Weekend tends to be one of, historically, one of the most violent weekends in the city of Chicago.

(people chattering) Our Light In The Night event, it's really there to empower, encourage people to come together, get to know one another over food, activities, music, things of that nature.

(crowd clamoring drowns out announcer) (basketball bangs) - And that's part of our strategy.

Like if we are able to at least have a community experience, a positive event, then hopefully that will trickle down throughout.

11th District is one of the hottest districts in the city of Chicago.

We try to get in the community to see like how relaxing this feel to be out.

Hey, hey, what's going on with y'all?

How y'all doing?

I've been in households where the mother is asking a son to text me when you make it to the store.

Text me when you leaving the store, right?

That's the reality of it.

The strategy is to empower the community to come back and take ownership long after we're gone.

I'm determined to make a change.

(kids clamoring) This park, it was dangerous, right?

The community shied away from the park.

Men and women who was street affiliated start taking the playground.

And so with the help of the city, they rehab the park.

The men and women who have been affiliated with the streets have really respected this space.

And so it's been really good.

Hey, hey, how you all doing?

The parks that we been consistently showing love to and activities to, now you have community residents sending their kids to the parks.

Man, y'all done secretly played cards without me.

Y'all must don't want me to win or something.

What's up with you, man?

How you feeling, man?

Good?

- Yeah, good, good.

- You miscounted.

- Definitely good.

- Who won so far?

- Hey, I know what's going on with you.

- Whenever you finish, I'll be here.

- East Garfield Park, it has a lot of potential.

We have a lot of people who have skills.

They just need an opportunity.

They need someone to invest in them and not be afraid to engage with them.

You'll see beyond the tattoos, right?

You'll see a person that's really looking for an opportunity but don't nobody believe that they could, you know, become something and so they resort to what they know.

- Conversation's over with.

- He haven't won nothing in a while.

Nope.

That's the thing, that's the reason why I'm doing the work that I'm doing right now, because I know what it's like.

That's eight.

That's eight.

At the age of 17, I was involved in armed robbery.

It ended up going wrong and it led to a murder.

I spent 10 years and 3 months of my life.

I'm incarcerated.

So our goal, where we talk about all shooting victimizations is to decrease it by 20%.

Right now, year to date, we at 16.3%.

And so I just wanted to give you all kudos for that.

When I was incarcerated, within that first year, I received my GED.

We had brothers on the gallery that wanted to obtain their GED as well.

And so I just started tutoring them.

Show consistency, show our presence, engage with the community, right?

When I got out, that actually led me to think that I could do some social service work.

And so I've been here ever since.

(people chattering) (pensive music) What just happened is we had a shooter incident that took place.

One of the victims is one of our peacekeeper's son.

We are on edge 'cause we wanna just make sure that we assess see what's the level of retaliation.

So right now, we're finna head to the hospital, check up on my peacekeeper, see where he at as far as the head space, and then go from there.

People at the scene, it was a little bit of a silence, right?

You heard some groups that are familiar with each other.

They was whispering.

I need to approach my peacekeeper in spite of what the streets may, or how the streets may want him to react.

My goal is to go against that and provide a nonviolent alternative.

Get him to really focus on his son's wellbeing.

(car engine revving) Okay, so it look like they got a car that was shot up.

'Cause this is a sensitive matter, so I won't be able to film this part, you know?

(sirens blaring) (car door thuds) (car door clicks) Okay, so I just got a update on my peacekeeper's son condition.

And so they're on edge because his condition has been...

They call it critical.

He's in critical condition now.

(sighs) Man, nervous.

I'm feeling nervous after hearing that news right there.

You know, the peacekeeper come from a big family and right now, he's smoking a lot of cigarettes.

I'm seeing, I'm just watching, you know, just watching his body language, right?

So, yeah, just I'm gonna check in with 'em a little bit later.

Now I'm headed to one of our Light In The Night partners.

There's a church by the name of New Landmark.

What I love about this church New Landmark, they're determined to get the community to come back and participate and throw activities in this park.

- [MC] If you love the side, make some noise.

(crowd clamoring and clapping) Yeah, that's what I'm talking about.

New Landmark Ministry Baptist Church.

Along with Breakthrough Urban Ministries and Community Partners for Piece, we've got our- - The transition from one critical incident to a festive event, that's, you know, we are in Chicago, that's kind of like the life right now, right?

In some areas, someone is celebrating and another area, someone is mourning, right?

(sirens blaring) I have been in a situation where I was playing cards in the neighborhood, then next thing you know, shots rung out and it was actually a leaf.

A bullet had pierced a leaf and cut the leaf in half like right by me.

I dove over the table, right?

So, yeah.

So I have moments where I do, I'm gonna take cover if I need to so yeah.

I just received an update.

The young man in critical condition as the night goes on, like I continue to get an update on his condition.

Now I'm on my way to this community to host and facilitate this peace circle.

The goal of the peace circle is really to build a relationship with one another, to get to know something about a person that you may not have.

So hopefully we'll be able to accomplish that.

What's going on?

You want us to have it right here up under the light?

- [Person] I think so.

This will be great.

- Every time that we try to put the peace circle together, it start raining.

I met them like a month ago.

So like they host meetings.

Like in the morning time, they have donuts and coffee and they little lawn chairs and the first time I was like, "I'm the only one standing up."

So I learned my lesson.

I'm like, "Okay."

You know, you got to listen to see if that's a- (thunder rumbling) Okay.

(rain pattering) (bright music) Oh man.

(blows raspberry) Could have gave us one more hour.

Hold on here.

Hey, what's going on with you?

That was gunshots?

- [Caller] He said a lot is going on at Walnut.

- That's what we just heard the gunshots then?

- [Caller] Yep, on at Walnut.

- All right, I'm on my way.

- Me too.

- Okay.

- Alright.

- Yep.

Yep, so those gunshots so we'll reschedule.

(sighs) So we just had our second shooting.

So my outreach supervisor just called me to confirm as well.

So we are going back to the same location that the first victim was shot multiple times, combing through the area.

I'm not saying anything, but it sounded so close, hmm.

(rain pattering) We have here victims that was shot and they was trying to get away and they'll go through the alley, end up bleeding to death, bleeding out, and end up dying.

So that's why we wanna make sure that we are just combing the area just to make sure if anybody been shot.

(siren blaring) Yes, it's very dangerous because there's a potential that those shooting incidents may spiral into a war.

In regards to my safety, it's not so much as concern, but I do be cautious 'cause I do have a family that I have to return home to and provide for and protect as well, right?

Yo.

- [Caller] What you here for, Stan?

- [Damien] I'm right here.

We like towards the middle of the block.

- [Caller] On Walnut?

- No, on Maypole.

- [Caller] Well, it's like raining outside.

- Yeah, no, no.

Yeah, we drove through Maypole.

- [Caller] (indistinct) been a long night.

- Yeah, man.

- All right.

- All right.

(car engine revving) (train tracks clattering) Because I'm on edge, it's a high likelihood of retaliation happening.

The peacekeeper's son, unfortunately he passed away.

I'm just checking the pulse of those that I'm really close to, checking to see how they're feeling about it as well.

And so that kinda like allowed me to make some decisions on how I should handle my team because our office is real close to the shooting incident.

Everybody have they laptops and they working from home right now.

We just want to make sure that everybody is safe.

That's really priority.

Just being in the area right now.

It is kind of tense.

Today, they're going to do a balloon release.

So now I finna just check to make sure that CPD presence is available as well.

Our balloon release is to honor the person that passed away.

They used those moments to really talk about the good things.

So you'll hear like testimonies of how much that person meant to them.

So it looks like we may have another shooting in East Garfield Park.

I'm checking the location right now.

Okay, so now I need to alert my team.

Sometimes we have some good days where we'll go two weeks without a shooting and then sometimes we have our days where we'll get three shootings in one day.

Okay, that's all it is.

We had the information that a female at the age of 63 was shot and now she's at Mount Sinai in good condition.

So I'm now finna go by Mount Sinai and see if we can connect.

We have 80, probably about 81, 82 people that's been shot in East Garfield Park.

Last year, we had 122.

So we are seeing a decrease at this time year to date.

But still, you know, 70 something people, 80, 81, 82 people, you know.

Here's one of my outreach workers right now.

Man, you don't never sleep, man.

You're a vampire, I'ma tell you, yeah, you a vampire.

- Y'all don't know who the lady is?

- [Damien] No, 63-year-old, Caucasian.

- Well, she was walking?

What?

- Some of the people that you seen, they actually work a 5:00 AM shift.

But because the nature of this work is dangerous, we all come out and support each other when we are out.

And look, it says she got a gunshot wound to the head.

- Whoa.

- Like in good condition.

- In good condition?

- Yeah.

- [Damien] Each one of us wanna see the community better.

These are men and women who live in the community.

So I use that as a rally point, right?

Hey, you wanna see your community become better?

Help me in this fight.

- Alright, let's get a picture, y'all.

- I have an awesome team.

All right, man, much love, bro.

Yep.

I'm on my way to balloon release for my peacekeeper's son, making sure that that's safe.

(birds chirping) (people chattering) I had a heightened sense of anxiousness.

This particular homicide was very high risk because that individual's loved by not only his family, but a lot of peers as well.

And so you could just imagine the emotions.

(people chattering) (train tracks clattering) - Dear God, we seek Your comfort and strength.

Grant JJ, Kim, Tony, and Jason the fortitude to care for their family.

Guide them towards forgiveness in Your presence.

Let them know that forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.

Lord, conquer the Daniels and Carter family, his aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents.

And that the love JJ have for them will forever be in their memories and never go away.

Lord, cover his friends for they need to be saved in a world full of evil.

JJ may be with his higher power now, but his spirit remains with us.

Let us all say amen.

- Amen.

- Amen.

(people clamoring) (pensive music) - I am hoping that the crowd is going to thin out because there's no police presence there.

So we just going to keep monitoring that block right there.

(car engine revving) So today is the ruin of one of our peacekeeper's son body.

Just wanted to just arrive early and kinda like just check in with the father most importantly.

They also gauge the temperature of the men and women that's attending the funeral as well.

We just want to make sure that things are some safeguard measures are in place.

Also too, I need to make sure that CPD is here.

You know what I'm saying?

- I think you should.

- Yeah.

- [Colleague] So you want me to stay up here?

- It's up to you.

I mean, it's up to you what you feel.

- I don't know.

I think I want to leave.

- Okay.

When one of my staff feels uneasy about being in the space due to safety purposes, across the board, my staff know that if we respond to an incident, and if you don't feel comfortable or if you feel like that area is a little bit too dangerous for you, we prioritize safety first.

Follow your heart.

Follow your stomach.

You know what I'm saying?

So, all right, let me do the rest of my part and then, but yeah, you can head out, yeah.

Everything right now is looking pretty calm.

So we going to go to the block that the actual homicide took place.

But we going to do a pop up.

(train tracks clattering) We want to engage with the community residents on the block.

We are going to have a behavioral health team to provide trauma informed care.

Our outreach team will be there just so they can know that there is some support that's available to them.

(people chattering) - Jumba.

- Jumba.

Okay, Jumba.

- Jumba.

They call me Jumba.

- All right, Jumba.

Bless you.

(people chattering) (funky music) - [Person] Oh no!

(laughs) (dogs barking) (people chattering) - Hey, can I get y'all attention?

I wanted to bring Martin forward so that we can pray not only for the Daniels family, but for this block specifically.

- Mr. Daniels and Ms. Carter, if you guys can come forward.

We just wanna surround you with love if you guys don't mind.

- [Damien] When something like this happens, you are challenged to retaliate, redeem yourself, - [Martin] Just calm their spirit.

- [Damien] How much do he believe in this reducing the violence right now that it hit close to home.

- Mr. Daniels, we commend you for requesting this peace effort after what you've been through.

So we commend you for that and we pray for you.

- For him to really come in a humble way and asked for a peaceful moment, right, was very huge.

You know, because he actually, you know, all eyes were on him right at that moment to make another choice and he chose peace.

- Our God, now Father, we definitely want to come before You in the name of your Son, Jesus, we thank You.

And Father, we admit that during this time, it's hard to say thank you.

But God, we don't necessarily thank You for what happened.

We thank you God for knowing that You are with us during this situation.

That You're with the Daniels and You're with the Carters, God.

You are with them, You're surrounding them.

And we thank You for that.

Father, we pray in the name of Jesus that you will continue to bring peace in this neighborhood, that You'll continue to touch hearts.

Lord God, that You will continue to flow in a different way in this neighborhood, definitely for this family.

And Father, we pray that You would guard them from the voices that would try to bring, Lord God, chaos and indifference.

- Amen.

- Amen.

- [Martin] Come on y'all.

Amen.

- Amen.

- Amen.

- Amen.

- Amen.

- Thank y'all.

- Yes sir, bro.

You know it.

Excellent, excellent.

(train tracks clattering) (people chattering) - So we finally hit the peace circle.

Yes, yes.

We tried.

- So I was excited about it.

- [Person] The third times the charm.

- Yes.

- Yeah, three times a charm.

You know, three times is a charm.

- I see a peace circle just as important as responding to a shooting.

If you can really focus on empowering the community or the block to get to know one another, to rally behind a common goal, then you can expect to see a decrease in a shooting.

And man, how can we replicate that, right?

- Because it could be like the rest of the blocks.

Something going on every day, someone laying in the street.

- I grew up in a neighborhood where it actually became the norm.

One thing that I noticed that a lot of people would stand around and and not do nothing, right?

So I wanted to change that.

Even though I'm used to gun violence, right?

I'm not one of those people that's just standing around and not do nothing.

(people chattering)