Residents of San Antonio march through the East Side for peace and unity

Members of the community march during The Stand Up SA Stop the Violence Block Walk on the East side of San Antonio, on Saturday, July 9, 2016. Members of the community march during The Stand Up SA Stop the Violence Block Walk on the East side of San Antonio, on Saturday, July 9, 2016. Photo: BRITTANY GREESON, San Antonio Express-News Photo: BRITTANY GREESON, San Antonio Express-News Image 1 of / 45 Caption Close Residents of San Antonio march through the East Side for peace and unity 1 / 45 Back to Gallery

San Antonio residents gathered on the city's East Side to march for peace and unity in the wake of multiple shootings across the United States.

Chanting "Stand Up, Guns Down," and "Stop the shooting, stop the killing" a few dozen marchers started at Antioch Baptist Church in the 1000 block of N. Walters.

Their numbers grew as they marched and according to San Antonio about 150 people were soon marching.

The mood of the marchers was calm, peaceful and even jovial at times as the crowd walked the streets of the East Side.

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They were greeted by motorists honking in unison with the marchers as they drove by. Several families who lost their loved ones also joined to advocate against the violence.

The family of Marquise Jones, who was fatally shot by off-duty officer Robert Encina at an area restaurant in February 2014, joined the walk.

His mother, Cheryl Jones, said the violence needs to stop also with police officers who are quick to resort to such measures.

The Stop the Violence Block Walk is being put on by Stand Up S.A., a program of the City of San Antonio Metro Health. Groups including SATX4, Moms against violence and the Black Panthers were among the community marchers.

The march comes a day after the killing of five Dallas police officers during a protest over the officer involved killings of two black men, Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota.

But the march was planned weeks ago said march organizer Mycheryl Price, StandUp SA Program Manager, and not as a response to the recent shootings as reported here earlier.

Jada Wilson said she joined the walk because it's the community her dad was raised in.

"Black lives matter not outside of us if they don't matter within ourselves," Wilson said. "Our own black lives don't matter if we can't appreciate our own black lives."

On Friday city leaders including, Mayor Ivy Taylor, urged civic duty and unity among residents of San Antonio.

"We all know that our city of San Antonio is a city with a deep heart, and today our heart aches with the victims and their families," Taylor said. "I want to remind all of my fellow San Antonians that the way we stay safe is by staying engaged."

WATCH LIVE: East Side community members are coming together for a peace walk with Standup San Antonio Stop the Violence at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church. Posted by My San Antonio from the Express-News on Saturday, July 9, 2016

Marchers seemed to heed that call Saturday as they marched, some arm in arm.

Mike Lowe, organizer with SATX4, said the block walk is a great way to build trust and unity in the community, adding that it's something the San Antonio Police Department and other city leaders need to do all the time.

"You don't build trust by over policing a community," Lowe said, noting that there was a greater police presence at a Black Lives Matter march that was held earlier Saturday downtown.

SAPD Lt. Troy Torres, one of two uniformed officer at the walk said he came out when he heard it was happening.

He said SAPD knew of and supported the walk, asking to keep it to one lane of the street.

"We want the violence to stop too," Torres said. "It's great for the community to come together."

The peace walk is continuing on the East Side as people shout "stand up, guns down." Posted by My San Antonio from the Express-News on Saturday, July 9, 2016

The March ended where it began, at about 8:30 p.m. with a barbecue in the Antioch church parking lot.

Staff writers Elizabeth Lepro and Kate Carlson contributed to this report.