THOMASVILLE — Representatives from community and area agencies will participate in a May 22 event to bring awareness to gun violence.

Terry Scott organized the “Think Before You React” concept three years ago to bring attention to gun violence in the community. The Saturday, May 22, seminar — from 10 a.m. to noon at Thomas County Public Library headquarters — will touch not only on gun violence, but repercussions experienced by victims’ families.

Scott has arranged for speakers from various local and area speakers. He plans to enlist speakers who deal with families grieving the gun-related deaths of loved ones.

Speakers to date are:

• Thomas County Emergency Medical Service paramedics

• Thomasville, Pelham and Boston police department officers

• Thomas County Sheriff’s Office deputy

Scott plans to ask Archbold Memorial Hospital emergency room personnel to discuss what takes place when a gunshot victim arrives.

He is seeking funeral home personnel to talk about the aftermath experienced by family members making funeral arrangements for a shooting victim.

“Both sides of the family lose,” Scott said. “One family loses somebody. One family loses somebody to incarceration.

“The bottom line is think before you react.”

Scott wondered aloud about what a shooter was thinking the day before shooting someone, the day of the shooting and the individual’s thoughts about consequences of the shooting.

He hopes to secure a mental health professional who would be on standby to help in shooting incidents.

A minister, Scott has counseled people who have had gun violence in their families. Victims’ families grieve and hold grudges against the offender during the first six months after the shooting, he explained.

At that point, it is realized the loved one is not coming back, and “the justice system is dealing with it,” Scott said.

A mentor program for youths beginning in fifth grade is another of Scott’s goals. He seeks mentors to talk to youths about gun violence. The program could include a tour of the jail and riding with a police officer.

Scott is looking to partner with law enforcement agencies to go into schools.

“We must make the community aware and make our community safe again so people can walk their dogs, and grandparents will be able to sit on their front porch and not fear being shot by a stray bullet,” he said.

Residents can help police by not being silent. 

“If you see something, say something,” Scott said.

To learn more about Scott’s gun violence efforts, call him at (229) 200-3979.