BALTIMORE (WJZ) — A state of emergency. That’s how a group of Baltimore women describe conditions in their neighborhoods.

The group is called M.O.M.S. – Mothers of Murdered Sons.

Today, they are offering forgiveness. Considering what has happened to their families, that may be the hardest thing for them to give.

“He was murdered in our home and the worst nightmare is when you think that your home is your sanctuary where no harm will come to your child,” said M.O.M.S. member Giselle Morch at a Penn North event Tuesday.

The M.O.M.S. came together to pledge to move forward in peace and to urge young men and teens in their neighborhoods to put the guns down and focus on help, not homicide. Each shared her own personal tragedy.

“We want our children to be more than getting to the count of 300,” says Daphne Alston.

As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, the number of homicides in the city for the year is 297.

“It’s like a goal that’s been set in this city to get to 300 or measuring where we were yesterday,” Alston says. “You can’t measure life.”

“As an organization we look forward to collaborating with all the stakeholders in this,” says Cornelius Scott, executive director of M.O.M.S. “As an organization we look forward to collaborating with all stakeholders in this.”

And reaching out to stop the death toll of crime and retribution killing.

“We’re not police officers and we’re not politicians,” Alston says. “We’re not saying who’s child was right and who’s child was wrong. We want to cleanse all of our minds so we can all move forward toward some peace in this city.”

Sadly, the 300 homicide mark seems inevitable with two more months to go in the year.

To learn more about M.O.M.S., visit MomsAgainstMurder.org.

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