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After Dallas Police Shooting, Community Prays For Peace

by Nikki Gaskins Campbell
The prayer vigial was sponsored by Randy Small's band, the SPW Music Group
The prayer vigil was sponsored by Randy Small’s band, the SPW Music Group (Image Courtesy: Randy Smalls)

BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C.–Amid the protests, heartache and sorrow over the lives lost during the recent Dallas police shooting, many in the Berkeley County community have banded together to pray for change and an end to violence.

“I was really lost for words and scared when I found out about the shooting in Dallas.  I have family members and friends that are law enforcement officials, and it felt like as a nation we felt what the families and the Dallas law enforcement division felt,” stated Randy Smalls who organized a prayer vigil at White Chapel Holiness in St. Stephen over the weekend. “I was scared because the men and women that work hard every day to protect and to serve us were under attack.”

A Berkeley County Sheriff's Deputy addresses the audience inside the church. (Image Courtesy: Randy Smalls)
A Berkeley County Sheriff’s Deputy addresses the audience inside the church. (Image Courtesy: Randy Smalls)

On Thursday night, 25-year-old Micah Johnson drove his car to a Black Lives Matter rally against police violence and began killing officers in downtown Dallas, hoping to single out only the white ones. In the end, he succeeded in murdering five officers while seven others were injured.

According to authorities, Johnson’s motivation to kill members of law enforcement came after the recent police killings of Alton Sterling, in Louisiana, and of Philando Castile, in Minnesota. Both cases are still under investigation.

Pictured: Micah Johnson (Via Facebook)
Pictured: Micah Johnson (Via Facebook)

“My reaction to the recent police shooting, I was hurt, confused and I really felt sorry for the families of the victims,” stated Smalls. “We will continue to pray in our communities. We will be in a different community once a month until this nation understands that united we stand divided we fall.”

Smalls believes there is only one way to stop the increased violence taking place in our country. For him, it’s a rather easy solution, and he says it starts with the church.

Police Officer Patrick Zamarripa, Senior Corporal Lorne Ahrens, Police Officer Michael Krol, Sergeant Michael Smith, of the Dallas Police Department and Police Officer Brent Thompson, of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Police Department, were shot and killed by an active shooter during a protest in downtown Dallas.
Police Officer Patrick Zamarripa, Senior Corporal Lorne Ahrens, Police Officer Michael Krol, Sergeant Michael Smith, of the Dallas Police Department and Police Officer Brent Thompson, of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Police Department, were shot and killed by an active shooter during a protest in downtown Dallas.

“God is the only solution to the world’s problems,” stated Smalls. “Evil will always be around us, but when we began taking God out of our government, or schools and our everyday living, that gives the devil the authority to do what he said he was going to do and that is kill, steal, and destroy.”
Nikki Gaskins Campbell
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