CHADBOURN, NC (WWAY) -- For the second time in a month, Chadbourn Police are investigating a murder.
Now police and the community are looking at the past to fight for the future.
Police say that after several weeks of gunfire between the two, Dehundra Spearman, 21, shot fellow Zone 6 gang member Rasheed Cherry, 23, multiple times in the chest Friday. Cherry died Tuesday morning.
The suspect is behind bars, but Police Chief Steven Shaw says his department needs to get back to their old ways to fight gangs.
"One thing that we've used to combat it was I wrote a grant for a gang officer, and it did make a difference, because during the implementation of that officer our crime rate was the lowest in five consecutive years in history since it has been recorded," Shaw said.
Around town pastors are uniting to try and get the kids to put down the bullets and pick up a Bible.
"I would say the average person on the street, as long as he has that gun in his hand or in his wasteband, he feels more courageous than he normally would," said Corey Lyons of New Beginnings Missionary Baptist Church. "He feels like he can stand up against anybody, and if they look at me the wrong way or if they cross me the wrong way, I'll just shoot them."
Kevin Joyner at River of Life Family Outreach Center says there are alternatives to keep kids on the right track.
"We have a program just for the youth that we can help them get jobs as well as empower them with the word of god, as well as help them in the community," Joyner said. "The community has got to get back to the old way of your child belongs to me, and my child belongs to you "
Lyons said, "I'm praying that one day when somebody hears the name chadbourn they will think of a better place."
Lyons says he and other area pastors are trying to organize a gun buyback with local law enforcement. They're also organizing other events to raise community awareness, including an upcoming peace walk.