Judge Calls For Action Against Gun Violence During 'Walk For Hope' Silent March

DETROIT (WWJ) -- The federal judge who was shot during an attempted robbery outside of his Detroit home on March 5 spoke before an anti-violence march in his honor on Friday night.

Before the "Walk for Hope" silent march around a neighborhood near Six Mile and Livernois, U.S. District Judge Terrence Berg stood using one of his crutches due to the gunshot wound in his leg that he suffered during the assault. He told the audience of hundreds that the gun violence in Detroit is unacceptable.

"This level of gun violence is completely intolerable and unacceptable and we will not accept it," Berg said.

The "Walk for Hope" was a project created by Berg and other organizers from the Gesu Catholic Parish, where he is a member. The 55-year-old Berg joined about 300 people at the church.

Berg said that the city needs jobs, better education and more police to deal with the problem. Jennifer Stalker the Grosse Pointe -- mother of Paige Stalker, who was gunned down in Detroit in December -- joined the march.

"We really wanted to come to support and to say that the violence in Detroit is continuing and everyone has to try to help," Stalker said.

The suspects in the assault on Berg apparently told him that he was being robbed and that they did not want to kill him, while he was taking out the trash. They then tried to force the judge back into his house. When struggle ensued, one of the suspects opened fire, striking Berg in the leg.

The FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and the ATF are offering $50,000 for information leading to solving the case.