New Miami Heat guard Wayne Ellington was out in the South Florida community Monday, speaking to high school students in an effort to try and prevent gun violence.

It's a personal issue for Ellington: His father, Wayne Sr., was shot and killed while sitting in his car on a Philadelphia street in 2014.

"As time went on and I grieved with my family and talked about it, I realized I was in a position where I could really change things around and maybe make one person ... touch them and turn them in a more positive direction," Ellington told the Miami Herald's Manny Navarro.

Ellington joined Heat legend Alonzo Mourning at Monday's event, which focused on encouraging students to form better relationships with each other in an effort to avoid violence in schools.

This past February, a man was sentenced to 30-to-60 years in prison for Ellington Sr.'s death.

"We started the campaign the Power of W.E., which is obviously my initials and my father's initials, for the power of we as people," Ellington said. "I just want to see a change in mindset of our youth, the younger generation. I want to see them do more positive things for each other and in the community."

Ellington, 28, has averaged 7.1 points per game in seven seasons with six teams. He signed with the Heat in July and will be one of the guards vying to inherit the departed Dwyane Wade's two-spot.

In his last three campaigns with the Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Lakers, and Dallas Mavericks, Ellington has a 38.4 percent accuracy rate from beyond the arc.