Friends hope new app will empower Philadelphians to help prevent gun violence | WHYY

Mazzie Casher and Steven Pickens haven’t personally lost anyone to gun violence. But they grew up together in the 1990s, when Philadelphia routinely recorded more than 400 murders a year, and don’t want to see that history repeat itself.

Pickens said they decided to take action in October after learning about another fatal shooting in West Philly that left a young man dead.

He felt overcome with despair.

“It was basically just pouring out at that time — like, we have to do something,” said Pickens, 46, an emergency medical technician.

On Saturday, Pickens and Casher will launch the Philly Truce mobile app.

Read/listen on WHYY.