SEATTLE — Dozens of people made their way to Green Lake Sunday, as part of the annual "Washington CeaseFire 5k Run/Walk," to spread awareness about gun violence within the state.
One of the participants was Tami London, a Federal Way mother hoping to keep her daughter's legacy alive after she was killed in a June shooting.
"Never thought I would be here,” London said. “Never thought this would happen to us. I'm so thankful for this walk to keep my daughter alive and bring awareness to gun control."
A soft-spoken London is still heartbroken by the death of her 41-year-old daughter Shawntae Tucker who was shot inside her Kent apartment on June 29 by a friend of her boyfriend's who was staying with them at the time.
"My daughter was actually kept alive for a week,” London said. “And because of the extensive damage, she passed on July 8th.”
It's this tragedy that inspired London to honor her beloved daughter on Sunday.
"She always helped individuals," London said. "She always had a smile and a wit. She would tell me don't cry for her. She was just a loving person."
London was among nearly 200 others that participated in the fourth annual "Washington CeaseFire Run/Walk 5K" at Green Lake. The largest annual fundraiser for CeaseFire, a non-profit organization dedicated to reducing gun violence in the state.
"I feel like I can have a voice into to try to change some of the laws and legislature out here about gun violence and gun control," London said.
London said she hopes events like this will not only spread awareness but offer much-needed support for families impacted by gun violence.
"These people live in our lives forever,” London said. “Will never forget her (Tucker). She'll forever be in our hearts and just remembering they're not just the name, these guys are people and their families live on. If you can give them as much support as you can during these times, it's really important."
According to Alliance for Gun Responsibility, a non-profit organization focusing on preventing gun violence, someone is killed by a gun every 10 hours in Washington state.
The non-profit said gun violence has been the leading cause of death of children and teens for the last two years. For more data regarding gun violence in Washington, click here.