NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — The Newport News Police Department, or NNPD, hosted their second annual Gun Violence Awareness Walk at City Center.

The event comes after two men were shot and killed in the city on Sunday in separate incidents.

Crowds gathered for the event, all wearing orange — the symbolic color for gun violence awareness.

“It’s important because it affects neighborhoods and communities,” Chief Steve Drew said, speaking to the importance of the event. “And, you know, we talk about numbers and statistics but it’s people, it’s individuals and it affects different people’s lives.”

Drew said it’s going to take those same people coming together to make a difference.

“Grassroots organizations, our schools, fire department, police department, our Commonwealth Attorney’s office, everyday citizens who live in a community that knows much more about what’s going on on that street and on that block than we do.”

Attendees heard the story of 16-year-old Malachi Smith who, at the age of 10, was shot in the head as he and his friend were playing football.

“I’ve got a lot of questions where people were saying, ‘Did it hurt?’ And to be honest, you just blackout,” Smith said. “It’s just like you fell asleep and to wake up and see everybody — it was really hard, and it was a blessing to see everybody surrounded.”

It was a trying time for him, having to relearn how to walk and talk. Six years later and he has immersed himself in his community to make it safer.

“A lot of people have lost their children and loved ones to gun violence,” Smith said. “It’s a really big issue and it needs to be stopped. And I know it’s going to take a while, but it’s going to be worth it at the end.”

He hopes whoever hears his story can be inspired to get involved in their community to help make it a better place.

According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been 18 shootings in the city so far this year. Seven people were killed.