Victim of gun violence teams with Daytona Beach Police

After losing an eye and nearly his life to senseless gun violence, a Bethune-Cookman University student is speaking out on gun violence. If you take a close look you wouldn't know 21 year old Micah Parham is a survivor of gun violence.

"I hope you all can see that I'm doing just fine,” said the 21-year old during a Friday morning press conference at the Daytona Beach Police Department.

Nine months ago, police say York Bodden shot and killed two roommates and nearly killed Parham.

"When we first went to the hospital to see him he was our 3rd murder victim, there was no way he was going to survive those wounds,” said Daytona Beach Police Chief Mike Chitwood.

But Parham did survive and he's speaking out against gun violence.

"Gun control should be a little more rigorous,” said Parham.

Parham said there are way too many people getting hurt. Last year nearly a dozen Bethune-Cookman University students were shot. He says he's teaming up with his school to start some programs to educate people about gun violence and improving police and community relations.

"I plan on beginning with Bethune Cookman, and going forward with my connections with my loved ones and hopefully rallying the city of Daytona in partnership with Daytona beach police and hopefully going from there so that the country, everybody that lives in our country can get the same feeling of trust that I have in our department,” said Parham.

It's a trust that Police Chief Mike Chitwood hopes every resident feels with his officers.

"We all took this job to help people and better our communities and for Micah to come forward and say what he's saying is very, very heart rendering and I think it really encapsulates what we're all about,” said Chief Chitwood.

Chief Chitwood said his department will start a new program where officers are learning new ways to deescalate a situation before officers are forced to shoot. He said his department will be among five other police departments across the country to start the program this September.