NORFOLK, Va. — If you’re driving around Norfolk, you may see Clay Marquez putting a sign in the ground that reads "Holiday Cease Fire Don’t Shoot."
“We know that during these times of the year families come together," said Marquez. "It’s about unity, closeness, loved ones gathered together to break bread and just eat, and we don’t want to have any homicides or murders during this time of year."
The signs are the latest effort by Marquez’s nonprofit, Guns Down, to try to address gun violence in Hampton Roads.
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According to the city of Norfolk’s crime tracking map, which as of Dec. 1 went back to June 4 2023, there had been 22 homicides in Norfolk since June 4.
According to data from gunviolencearchives.org, in 2022 there were more than 160 homicides involving guns in Hampton Roads, with multiple homicides in each of the seven cities. Mass shootings were excluded from the data.
Marquez believes the work his nonprofit is doing is making an impact.
"For example, we just had the Huntersville Peace Reunion maybe about two months ago," Marquez explained. "I reached out to a lot of the older guys who know a lot of the youth, like different communities where the hot spots of the crimes are happening, and we asked them if they could hold down their communities. On this particular day of the Huntersville cease fire, we asked 'You all put the guns down on this day. We want to have a peaceful event' and not a shot was fired throughout the city of Norfolk."
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He’s not alone, though. He has volunteers like James Washington, Jr. helping him.
“It's in my heart to be here," Washington, Jr. said. "I’m from a small town in Georgia. I kept hearing about all these killings and I’m, like, ‘Man, this ain’t right.’”
He was doing similar work himself before he met Marquez.
"It’s not about me, it’s about all of us together and coming together as one in the community solving problems and solving issues because the police can’t do it by themselves," said Washington, Jr. "The city of Norfolk can’t do it by itself. It’s a community thing."
Marquez, too, knows signs are not enough. He believes there needs to be a focus on activities for youth.
While the signs are in Norfolk, Marquez said his goal is to work with other cities in Hampton Roads.
“We just want to say that when we are committing these crimes, we’re destroying families, we’re hurting families," Marquez emphasized. "Whoever you have a beef with, just try to use conflict resolution. Try to work it out. It’s not worth taking a life. Because at the same time, there is no statute of limitations on murder. You could be incarcerated ten years, 15 years down the road. So don’t do it. The life you save may be your own."
While many signs have been put out, Marquez was planning to put more out. If you'd like to help the nonprofit, call Marquez at 757-738-8792 or send an e-mail to gunsdownmovement@gmail.com.
