Hearse Motorcade Against Violence in Detroit

DETROIT, Mich. (WJBK) - Sirens signaled an effort to fight crime in Detroit Sunday. A motorcade of about 20 hearses was meant to send a message of peace. The people behind the effort say they're tired of the killing and the violence in the city.

Click on the video player to watch Robin Schwartz's report.

It was a mass funeral of sorts for the victims of violent crime and for violent crime itself. At least 16 local funeral homes, police, community leaders and dozens of concerned families took part in a "Thou Shalt Not Kill" motorcade and rally. From the streets to Fellowship Chapel Church on W. Outer Drive, where the sanctuary was filled with song and prayer.

"This rally is about the killings that are occurring with our young people in Detroit," said Gene Andrus with Lynch & Sons Funeral Home. "So many young people are losing their lives."

Since the start of the year, there have been 18 recorded homicides in Detroit, more than a 60 percent increase over the same time last year. The victims include a 21-year-old woman who was gunned down outside of a bar on Grand River during an attempted robbery. In all, police report 344 murders in 2011. But, United Communtieis of America, which organized this effort, wants to replace the violence with peace and healing.

"We want instead of the statistics on how many people got murdered in Detroit to come across the news we want to know about peace and healing and we want gods peace and healing to go eminate out from the people that have gathered here together," said Rev. Mayowa Reynolds with Fellowship Chapel. "We'll start in our homes... we'll start in our schools, in our communities and our churches and we will exercise peace and we will begin to engage one another in peaceful non violent ways."

United Communities plans to host a city-wide day of peace and healing on the 22nd of each month.