Dr. Larry Diebel has spent decades in Detroit emergency rooms trying to save people with bullet wounds. Now the veteran trauma surgeon at Detroit Receiving Hospital is stepping out of the operating room and into the plaza, helping lead a midday Wear Orange rally on Friday to demand an end to gun violence in the city.
The action is timed to land right at the start of Gun Violence Awareness Month and is meant to turn the Spirit of Detroit into a bright orange backdrop for a very serious message.
What organizers are planning
As reported by FOX 2 Detroit, Diebel is helping lead a press conference and march that will put survivors, medical staff, and community leaders at the microphone. The goal is to highlight the human cost of shootings and push for both policy fixes and neighborhood-level responses.
In a clip posted yesterday, the station showed Diebel laying out plans for the grassroots gathering. Organizers say the rally will bring health professionals, faith leaders, and residents together in front of the Spirit of Detroit, turning a familiar civic landmark into a stage for their call to action.
Where and when
The Episcopal Diocese of Michigan lists the “Spirit of Detroit Gun Violence Prevention Press Conference” for tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Spirit of Detroit Plaza, 2 Woodward Ave. Episcopal Diocese of Michigan
Diebel practices at DMC Detroit Receiving Hospital, which describes itself as Michigan's first Level I Trauma Center and one of the state's busiest emergency and burn centers. DMC Detroit Receiving Hospital
Why surgeons are speaking out
Trauma surgeons say their caseload puts them in the front row of the crisis. Recent research shows that while many hospitals run violence-intervention programs, only about 18 to 20 percent of eligible gunshot patients actually receive that kind of follow-up care, a gap clinicians describe as urgent to close. The Trace reported in May on a study that analyzed more than 15,000 firearm-injury patients.
Diebel has spoken publicly about cases that linger in his memory, including a three-year-old patient whose injuries he said will have lifelong consequences. “The ramifications for this young man, three years old, is going to be forever,” he told ClickOnDetroit. He argues that what doctors see in the trauma bay should translate into action in the streets.
Timing and the broader push
The Detroit rally is part of a larger Wear Orange push this weekend. The national campaign designates early June as its awareness weekend and encourages events across the country from tomorrow to next Sunday. Organizers describe the dates as a time to honor victims and demand prevention-focused policies. Wear Orange
Michigan’s governor has officially backed that effort at the state level, proclaiming June 2026 as Gun Violence Awareness Month, as per Michigan.gov.
How to take part
Organizers are asking participants to gather at Spirit of Detroit Plaza at 11 a.m. tomorrow. They are encouraging people to wear orange and bring signs that reflect their own experiences and hopes for the city.
According to the City of Detroit, the lineup is expected to include local faith leaders and community violence-prevention organizations, and the city has scheduled related actions for the following day.
