'My cousin died not too long ago from getting shot': Alabama students pledge to end gun violence

POSTED ON AIR AND ONLINE. WELL, KIDS ACROSS OUR AREA ARE LOOKING TO START A NEW TREND BY SPREADING PEACE. WVTM 13 S BRYCE OSELEN SPOKE WITH STUDENTS PLEDGING TO DECREASE VIOLENCE IN THEIR COMMUNITY. MIDFIELD HIGH IN BESSEMER MIDDLE SCHOOL, STUDENTS ARE PLEDGING AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE. STUDENTS SAY THE VIOLENCE IS HITTING TOO CLOSE TO HOME. MY COUSIN, HE DIED NOT TOO LONG AGO. YOU KNOW, FROM GETTING SHOT. STUDENTS PLEDGED TO NOT BRING GUNS TO SCHOOL AND TO DEESCALATE DISAGREEMENTS VERBALLY. THE PLAYERS TO NOT USE GUNS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT STOPS THE GUN VIOLENCE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND OUR SCHOOLS. AND I SEE WHAT IT DOES TO OUR FAMILIES. MARKUS UNDERWOOD JUNIOR SAYS LOSING A FAMILY MEMBER TO GUN VIOLENCE IS A PAIN. HE KNOWS TOO WELL. MY WHOLE FAMILY WAS DOWN FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF STRAIGHT. I FEEL LIKE IT’S NOT SOMETHING WE SHOULD PROMOTE. IT’S SOMETHING WE SHOULD DEVOTE ASHER COMMUNITY LEADERS TAKE CHARGE BY COLLECTING SIGNATURES. I LOST MY SON. HE WAS 18 TO GUN VIOLENCE IN 2018. SO IT’S REALLY A BIG DEAL FOR ME TO COME TO STUDENTS IN HIGH SCHOOLS TO TRY TO GET THEM TO KNOW THE CONSEQUENCES, TO SIGN THE PLEDGE. DISTRICT ATTORNEY LYNNEICE WASHINGTON SAYS PREVENTING GUN VIOLENCE STARTS WITH THE YOUTH. WE HAVE A HEIGHTENED LEVEL OF GUN VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND UNFORTUNATELY, THESE ARE THE FACES THAT WE ARE SEEING THAT ARE EITHER THE VICTIMS AND OR SHOOTERS. UNDERWOOD PLEDGED TO STOP GUN VIOLENCE, SO HE AND OTHERS CAN PURSUE THEIR FUTURES AT THE HIGH SCHOOL. I PLAN ON GOING TO THE NAVY TO BE A NAVY SEAL. YOU KNOW, IT’S ALWAYS BEEN MY DREAM TO BE A NAVY SEAL. SO I’M GOING TO PURSUE THAT IN MIDFIELDER PRY