Police, church working to stop violence after 2 deadly shootings in Uniontown

UNIONTOWN, Pa. (KDKA) -- Earlier this month, there were two deadly shootings within three days of each other in Uniontown. And on Thursday, shots were fired on Lincoln Street, near the Fayette County Courthouse. 

Police and a pastor are coming together to put an end to the bloodshed. 

The pastor of the Fresh Fire Church in Uniontown said he's had enough. He says he can't sit by any longer and allow people to die.

Violent crimes, drugs, economic depression and a lack of resolve from the city is what Pastor Adam Lawson says the community of Uniontown is dealing with every day.

Most recently, a 38-year-old man was shot and killed just steps away from Lawson's church on Clarke Street, allegedly at the hands of a 14-year-old. 

"When you can have a young child think that that's the answer and they don't understand the repercussion of it -- we just decided with the increased violence and increased aggression in the community, we had to do something," Lawson said.

When just three days later, another shooting death happened on Iowa Street, Lawson set his plan in motion. 

A public meeting was held inside Fresh Fire Church, bringing together more than 100 community members and 30 local and state leaders. 

"I live in this town, I'm raising kids in this town. I take this personally," said Uniontown Police Chief Delbert DeWitt.

DeWitt says he welcomes the bold push by Lawson. He says when 100 people step in a room and want to make a difference, that's exactly what needs to happen to change the tide of the city. 

"I would love to see a neighborhood crime watch come back as a working group in our community so we can actually have a pulse of the city from our residents with a direct tie to them. They're not having to make phone calls, we can actually have sit-down meetings and start to work out their issues personally," DeWitt says.

Lawson plans to hold regular meetings. The next one will be held here at the Fresh Fire Church on Tuesday.