Man Uses Grief To Inspire Youth Against Violence

Najahe Sherman spoke to founder Justin Lockett about League of Legacy, a mentoring program created to help provide a positive male role model for young boys.

Gun violence is on the rise across the united states and here in huntsville.

One local man took his painful experience of losing his brother to gun violence and turned his grief into action.

I met with him and learned more about how the league of legacy mentoring program is changing lives in our community.

Video of group hugging with words of affirmation and gestures of love... league of legacy founder justin lockett is lifting the spirits of this group of young boys.... he's helping guide the trajectory of their lives, before someone with bad intentions has the opportunity.

Justin lockett 6:09:47:05- what we try to do is stand in the gap.

A lot of the boys in my program don't have male figures in their lives.

Some of them do but not consistent.

What we want to do is make sure we show them that positive male role model and teach them about good decision making.

Lockett developed the program after his brother was shot and killed.

Jarrod lockett died of a gunshot wound to the head on dec.

15, 2012, the day he was set to graduate from u-a-h.

Justin lockett walked at graduation in his place.

Justing lockett 6:07:51:12 - that motivation came the day that the people who killed my brother were sentenced.

And i watched the court room and i thought i was suppose to feel better by seeing them go off to prison and i didn't.

And i thought to myself, everyone in this courtroom lost.

My family lost, my brother is not coming back.

They are going off to prison so what can we do?

In 2013 lockett started this outreach program.

Currently, there are 19 boys enrolled in the league of legacy mentoring program... the group has grown through word of mouth and it's open to all boys in the community.

They range in age from 12 to 18 years old and they meet every thursday.

13 year old kennari glasper has been part of the group for six years.

Kennari glasper 5:53:58:21- this has really impacted my life.

This has helped me come out of a shell i use to be in.

Now i can talk to other boys that are my age.

I get to go places i have never went before and it has just been a very good ride.

Justin lockett 6:10:07:08 - we've taught them how to cook, we've taught them how to iron, we've taught them how to properly bathe themselves.

Every year in february we go on a black history trip, we had etiquette classes, teaching them which is the salad fork, the dinner fork, which way to pass your food.

The boys also learn about conflict resolution and how to solve problems through non-violence.

13 year old kameron evans has been part of the group for a year and half... he told me he has changed both personally and in the class room since joining the mentor group.

Kameron evans/13 years old: 6:04:00:29 - better grades.

He texts me everyday usually.

Tells me, have a great day at school, so it makes me feel better about myself everyday.

According the nonprofit organization everytown for gun safety, firearms are the 2nd leading cause of death among children and teenagers in alabama.

In alabama, an average of 68 children and teens die by guns every year, and 60% of these deaths are homicide.

In the us, 58% of all gun deaths among children and teenagers are homicides.

Lockett told me his goal was to create an organization that took a stand against gun violence by teaching young boys values so they don't want to pick up a gun in the first place.

Lockett told me that he hopes to expand his program to include even more boys.

For him this is truly a labor of love.

Lockett has a full time job during the day.

He