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Neighbors march to end violence plaguing north Charlotte community

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Neighbors are marching to end violence plaguing their north Charlotte community.

The movement is designed as a show of unity among those who want the shootings and needless deaths to stop.

Community members and leaders are marching down the street where gunfire disrupted a Juneteenth block party almost two weeks ago, leaving four people dead and several others hurt.

That incident was followed by two more deadly shootings in the neighborhood the next week, including one where 14-year-old Terreon Geter was killed outside a strip mall.

Marchers are also walking by several memorials created for the lives that were lost in the community over the last couple of weeks.

“It’s our responsibility to take back the streets, take back our community and keep our people safe,” said Corine Mack, president of the Charlotte chapter of the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People.

Geter’s mentor, Shang Hopkins, is also on a mission to help others. He told Channel 9′s Ken Lemon that he wants to do something positive in the area that’s seen a lot of negativity.

Hopkins is working to lease and turn an area, just a couple of doors down from the memorial to Geter, into a community youth center. His visit there a few days ago convinced him that this was where change needed to happen.

“There is no better place to do it than right here at ground zero,” Hopkins said.

Hopkins said something better has to grow from the sport where he lost a student and dear friend, Geter.

They met at Ranson Middle School where Hopkins worked as an instructor and Geter was struggling to adapt.

“He just needed someone to talk to him and understand him, and we developed a relationship. He would pretty much be with me every day,” he said.

Hopkins coaches Geter on the school football team.

On Tuesday, someone told Hopkins about the shooting and that his 14-year-old mentee was killed. He said he called and texted Geter several times with no reply.

“I waited for hours and didn’t want to believe it,” Hopkins said.

He couldn’t ignore it after talking to Geter’s mother and making a trip to the memorial. Being there hurt, but Hopkins also saw something else -- a small space for rent.

“I see an opportunity to put something positive in an area where something so negative happened. Something very traumatic happened,” he said.

Hopkins operated a nonprofit community group in Columbia, South Carolina where he also worked as a police officer.

He wants there to be a resource center for youths who live along Beatties Ford Road. He said if they had just a little more support, there might be fewer memorials.

“I think it’s time for drastic measures to take care of a drastic situation,” he said.

Hopkins is talking with the property owner and has connected with partners to back the effort. He said the nonprofit will be called the Community Peace Center and wants it to provide the kind of mentorship he started with Geter.

Geter’s mother said she has already given him her blessings.