JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Riding for change was the goal Saturday for one group that aims to put a stop to violence.
The group MAD DADS teamed up with local bikers and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office for its 14th annual motorcycle ride through the city.
Their goal was to spread the word about unsolved murders -- and possibly save lives in the future.
When the bikes cranked up, it was all about getting the community’s attention, putting a stop to crime, getting killers off the street -- and showing support for grieving families.
That includes Latasha Hobbs. Her son, Maurice, was shot and killed in 2017, just days after he turned 18.
“It means a lot that we don’t walk this journey alone,” Hobbs said. “At this point, I’ve been walking this journey for 2,067 days. Love is our own survival and to see so much love pour in, it just means the world.”
The group teamed up with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. Donald Foy with MAD DADS said bridging the gaps between the community and law enforcement is crucial.
“This is one way of showing them that someone does care. And that it’s alright for them to call CrimeStoppers, it’s alright for them to call JSO,” Foy said. “But the only way we’re going to remove murder and violence around our community is that they break the code of silence and tell what they know.”
The 35-mile journey rode through places where murders have been known to happen throughout the city to dredge up support and awareness.
For Hobbs, this message is especially true. Not just for her son’s case, but for all families.
“We as community members need to do our part to make Jacksonville a safer community for all,” Hobbs said. “If we see something, we need to say something. We need to start pointing our finger in the direction the shooter went.”