Stop the Violence rally held in west Louisville

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE)  - Sunday in Louisville, there was a gathering to prepare the city mentally and spiritually for some big events on the horizon.

With several major happenings coming up, including Thunder Over Louisville and the Kentucky Derby, the Voice of Louisville gathered today to pray for the community.

The rally was held at 28th and Broadway.

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The group prayed to heal what the community has gone through the past couple of weeks, and to address how Louisville residents an help stop violence that seems to accompany big events.

"We want to be proactive, people coming in from out of town that's bringing in a lot of violence, bringing in a lot of drugs, bringing in a lot of crime," Voice of Louisville president Bishop Dennis Lyons said. "So, we want to already have our spiritual and community defenses up."

The group specifically called on religious communities around Louisville to provide guidance when dealing with violence in the city.