Columbus moms visit gun violence memorial in D.C., frustrated by more shootings back home

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — "My chest felt like it was caving in and I just hit the floor crying," Brenda Johnston said as she described the moment she entered The Gun Violence Memorial Project in Washington D.C.

Johnson's son, James Johnson III, 29, was murdered on Oct. 20, 2020, after being shot outside a Sunoco gas station on Sullivant Avenue.

Johnson joined other Columbus moms on a trip to the nation's capitol over the weekend where they honored their loved ones who they lost to gun violence.

"It was hard, especially being so close to his anniversary," Johnson said. "We’re getting ready for this two-year vigil. But just knowing that he is in another state and people can learn his story there is important to me."

According to its website, The Gun Violence Memorial Project features four houses built of 700 glass bricks, each house representing the average number of lives taken due to gun violence each week in America.

Families who have lost a loved one due to gun violence, including Johnson, contributed objects to help remember their loved ones by. Those pieces are placed within a glass brick, displaying the name, year of birth, and year of death of the person being honored.

"It’s impactful in there," Johnson said. "Some of the stuff you see in there and how young some of the kids were that were murdered."

Johnson said she brought photos of James, one of his baseball caps, and a pair of socks from James' children that said "Number One Dad."

Shawna Brady was also on the trip to D.C. She honored her 15-year-old son Tre'Von Dickson, who was shot and killed on April 20, 2021.

"It was shocking, it was heartbreaking," Brady said. "I do have a little closure to know that my son is somewhere and someone else can understand or learn from this experience."

The trip to the memorial came before another week of violence in Columbus.

"I just went to a memorial to see my son, and I come back to someone else’s child being murdered," Johnson said. "It’s like a slap in my face. Every time I hear about someone losing their life to gun violence, I think about how the mother is feeling at that moment. I know how I felt when they came to my door and told me my son was murdered. It’s heartbreaking."

At least four people were shot on Oct. 4 in Columbus and three of those people have died.

Two of the victims were killed in Mt. Vernon Plaza in the city's fifth double murder since June.

Columbus police also said one of two men shot during an altercation Tuesday night in the 600 block of East Morrill Avenue has died.