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Remembering Jacksonville murder victims on gun awareness day

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Sahara Barkley’s son rested his hand on his mom’s grave.

He was almost a year old when she was shot and killed at a Jacksonville gas station.

“Her life is just gone. Senseless,” Barkley's mom, Rosie Brooks-White, said.

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She said the last time Barkley’s family saw her was New Year's Eve 2017. They’d just finished lighting fireworks and enjoying the night together.

“Sahara said, ‘I’ll see you tomorrow, Mom.’ Tomorrow never came.”

Barkley was at the Stockton Street BP gas station when she saw a man hop in her car.

She confronted a woman as he drove off – and that woman allegedly shot and killed her.

“It’s sad because so many young kids have lost their lives. How do we bring more awareness about the severity of guns?” Brooks-White said.

Miles away, Latasha Hobbs placed Crime Stoppers signs where other loved ones were gunned down in Moncrief.

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“We just want to show the community that there are people out here who care. We care and we want to do anything we can to help another family from falling victim,” Hobbs said.

Mayor Lenny Curry proclaimed Friday to be Gun Violence Awareness Day.

On Saturday, Hobbs and Brooks-White (and other families) will come together to pay tribute to lives lost.

They say it won’t bring back their loved ones.

“I don’t really know what to tell (Barkley’s son) because Mama's not coming back,” Brooks-White said.

But the families say coming together could stop another child from growing up without their loved one.

You can read more about the Wear Orange Community Day of Action on the group’s Facebook page.