Community members unite for prayer after Juneteenth Festival shooting in Tulsa

It’s been 7 days since a shooting at Tulsa’s Juneteenth Festival took the life of one man and injured several others. One group has returned to those same streets, but not to celebrate -- but also to find time to pray.

Boots on the Ground

Community members and faith leaders gathered in Tulsa's Greenwood District Saturday morning for the "Boots on the Ground Prayer Walk." The group prayed in unity to honor those affected by a recent tragedy and to call for peace.

"We marked Greenwood, we took Greenwood back…we blessed it,” organizer Glo Cato said. 

One Week Later

Saturday's prayer gathering comes 7 days after a shooting during Tulsa’s Juneteenth Festival took the life of 22-year-old Isaiah Knight and injured 7 others. For Chauncey and Gwendolyn Fourte, it was clear that the night left a deep wound in the community.

“As a result of this, we felt like and knew something really needed to be done,” Chauncey said.

Sparking Change

Cato believes in creating change, which means engaging with the community, talking to people, and helping people be God’s hands and God’s feet. The Fourtes are confident and hopeful that through faith, change will come. 

“We believe God heard us, and God is answering and bringing the unity, bringing safer streets, safer environments, and doing the work in this city that’s really, really needed,” Chauncey said.