Vigil held to remember those killed by gun violence in Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- June 7 is Gun Violence Awareness Day.

"The pain is very much alive, very real," said Frances Morrison, a friend of Lisa Kauls.

"Because we're doing this memorial today, it's brought back a lot of feelings."

Raw emotions were still on the surface for the families and friends of victims of violent crime.

They're channeling their anguish into action, gathering at Downtown Fresno's Courthouse Park to remember the human toll of homicide numbers.

A memorial quilt showed the faces of people, some of who were killed by gun violence.

Their loved ones wear a color, symbolizing their solidarity.

"This gun violence memorial, this orange awareness week, started in Chicago by a 15-year-old girls friends," said Morrison, "two years after she was gunned down in a park."

That shared pain brought the mother of Janessa Ramirez to support the vigil, nine years after her daughter was killed by a stray bullet in West Central Fresno.

One of the faces on the quilt is Nick Kauls.

Nick would've turned 23-years-old this year. Instead, he will remain forever 17.

His mother, Lisa Kauls, has a tattoo in his honor.

She said Nick was a loving son, who loved to skateboard.

"When you say like six years, you think, that's a long time," said Kauls. "But to me honestly, it feels like yesterday. There are days when I just can't function. I just cry and it doesn't go away. Time doesn't heal."

Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp supports the victims' families, saying they're not alone in their fight for justice.

"They are not just another case," said Smittcamp. "They're not just another number. We really value them and we sympathize with them.'

During the vigil, Smittcamp shared numbers from the Fresno Police Department.

The data shows that so far this year, there have been 13 murders.

Last year, there were at least 35 murders in total. In 2022, there were 60 compared to 74 in 2021.

There was also a special thank you to law enforcement during Friday's vigil.

Kauls said spreading awareness about gun violence in the community doesn't end with the vigil.

She's hoping to do a victims memorial and help give more support to families who've been affected by gun violence.

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