Homicide Victims Awareness Month

Homicide Victims Awareness Month begins Friday and runs until December 20.

New Bedford will be observing throughout the month with a series of events taking place in many parts of the city.

Many of these events will focus on the illegal firearms that are often used to perpetrate these crimes.

Shante Leathers, of Ladies Involved in Putting a Stop To Inner-City Killing, or L.I.P.S.T.I.C.K., tells WBSM'S Brian Thomas that these guns that are often purchased by women for men who aren't legally allowed to purchase the weapons themselves.

"Their guy is like 'hey well you know I need these guns from New Hampshire, I need these guns from one of the states that don't have strong gun laws'," said "they take the women out there to get these guns and the gun dealers are just selling them to the women because they're trying to make a profit...and that's where those guns are coming from."

While illegal guns will be a large focus of these events, community activist John "Buddy" Andrade says that they have no ill will towards responsible gun owners, who have legally purchased firearms.

"We're not trying to take guns away from people who legitimately can own them and want to have them," said Andrade "this is about crime, this is about drug crime, violence, gun violence, this is about gang violence, domestic violence, that kind of crime that's committed with guns that we want to prevent from happening."

Andrade also says there was a very specific reason that these dates were chosen to remember the victims of homicide.

"It's the best time of the year, just before the holidays, or during the holidays, but without encroaching upon Thanksgiving and Christmas with the families," said Andrade "but also, at the same time, it's a good time of the year because we want to remember those families and help them out and work with them through the time of grieving because it never ends."

Observances will begin Friday night with a "Remembrance" Opening Ceremony at 6 p.m. at the corner of Hillman St. and Spruce St. in New Bedford.