By Rupert Howell

A prayer service scheduled last month for 11 a.m. today, Good Friday, at Patton Lane Park took on additional urgency following last Thursday night’s shooting deaths of two Batesville brothers and the wounding of others in gang-style shootings.

Dr. Zannie Leland is asking community organizations and individuals to join in a show of support for peace throughout the county by attending the Good Friday service today.

Sponsored by the group S.T.O.P. (Stop The Ongoing Problem), Leland has taken the lead in scheduling prayer events to show support for peace throughout the county’s communities.

The group was formed following a gang-style death in Batesville earlier this year and has been meeting in different locations throughout the county on a weekly basis since.

The prayer vigil plans also includes the communities of Como, Crenshaw, Courtland, Crowder, Sardis and Pope as well as Batesville as letters were sent  to many of the county’s ministers asking for participation for the Good Friday vigil in their communities.

Leland had made plans for the Batesville vigil to be held at Patton Lane Park,  noting that schools will be out and many people will have holiday making the event an excellent opportunity to display a large base of support against violence.