Pastor holds prayer walks in response to Chicago violence
Chicago pastor Edgar Rodriguez told 'Fox & Friends Weekend' he wants to give people hope, address crime in communities
In response to a rise in violent crime that has claimed the lives of children, Chicago pastor Edgar Rodriguez has led prayer walks in his community.
Rodriguez, appearing Saturday on "Fox & Friends Weekend," said he wanted to "push back against the violence, give people hope, and really address the crime."
CHICAGO PASTOR ORGANIZES PRAYER WALKS AFTER RISE IN VIOLENT DEATHS
The reaction to Rodriguez's efforts has been positive.
"Specifically, in the block that we’ve lived on, we’ve taken a very pro-active approach – not reactive – where if someone gets killed then we go out and pray, or then we go out and march," he said.
Chicago Police officers investigate the scene of a shooting in Chicago outside a funeral left 15 people wounded as President Donald Trump threatens to send federal agents to a handful of US cities led by Democratic mayors. (Photo by KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
"But just this idea of owning my community, owning my block, praying, getting to know the people, asking individuals if they need prayer ... especially those who may be involved in gang activity and other activity that is unlawful," Rodriguez added.
"And so we engage it. We pray for them. And, in my part of the community by God’s grace, we have seen results. We’ve seen individuals change. We’ve seen violence go down," he said.
The Windy City has been enduring a violent summer. On Tuesday, 15 people were wounded in a gun battle outside a funeral home. No arrests have been made in what officials called the escalation of a gang conflict.
On July 13, Rodriguez and two others started walking at 6 p.m. in Humboldt Park on Chicago's West Side. They went to an area with a large homeless population to share prayers with those seeking help.
The goal is to find missionaries throughout the city and encourage them to bring hope to their own communities.
Rodriguez plans to continue the prayer marches through September, focusing on different neighborhoods.
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"So you will continue to walk the streets?" asked "Fox & Friends" host Griff Jenkins.
"Absolutely," the pastor said. "As long as there is a need and … as long as people need to hear the good news of Jesus."
Fox News' Caleb Parke contributed to this report.