KENT COUNTY, Mich. — Nearly 10 minutes of names were read aloud Monday afternoon to honor those killed in crimes in Kent County.
The Prosecutor's Office and Silent Observer of West Michigan hosted the evening of remembrance. The Sheriff's Office and Grand Rapids Police attended the event, which was intended to provide a space for family, friends, and neighbors to come together in reflection, support, and solidarity.
Brenda Bables lost her son, Armonie Acklin, in 2022.
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"Everybody's there in the beginning, and then they fall apart. They just stop calling, stop showing up, and that's fine. It's understandable. They have their own lives, but something like this is just a helpful reminder for the rest of the community," Bables said.
Hayley Strickland is the executive director of Silent Observer.
"I think sometimes we think so much about the tips coming in and the crime itself that we we miss out on the fact that there was a life lost and it was a family and a future that was lost. And so an event like this gives the family space and the community space to remember those lives," Strickland said.
Organizers hope the event serves as a reminder for neighbors to stand against crime and speak up if they know something.
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