Please pray for Natchez and Adams County.

Pray that our community collects its common sense and can work together to put an end to the violence that has gripped our hearts lately.

Pray for the safety and courage of our law enforcement community.

And pray for the strength of neighbors and common, law-abiding citizens to stand up and demand the violence stops.

Unfortunately lately, each new day seems to yield another shooting in our community. The string of violence is becoming all too familiar.

In the latest shooting, a man is charged with shooting and nearly killing his own brother on Tuesday.

The victim was still in intensive care Wednesday.

Police are still investigating a fatal shooting on Saturday as well. Two others were injured in that incident.

And in recent weeks more people have been shot, some seemingly by a case of mistaken identity.

The culture of violence and disregard for human life seems rampant, but in reality, the problem exists only with a small number of people squabbling with another, rival group.

Call them gangs, call them thugs, call them what you will, but these groups must be stopped and law enforcement needs everyone’s help to do so — including the help of calling for divine help through prayer.

Pray for Natchez and pray the violence will stop.