A heartbroken community came together Tuesday to remember 14-year-old Aamir Griffin, who was killed in Queens two years ago. 

Aamir was hit by a stray bullet while playing on a basketball court outside his home. 

Friends and family gathered Tuesday on the court where Aamir was killed. 

What You Need To Know

  • Aamir Griffin was shot and killed while playing basketball outside his home. Queens DA calls it a “mistaken identity gang hit”

  • The alleged gunman was arrested into LA in September after police tracked him down on social media. He was denied bail, and is facing 25 years to life in prison

  • Cardozo High School Basketball Coach Ron Naclerio had a Cordozo jersey made with Griffin’s name on it and his favorite number, 2

Police say Aamir was hit by a stray bullet. 

The alleged gunman, Sean Brown, was arrested in Los Angeles in September. 

Police tracked him down on social media. 

Brown was indicted on murder charges and for criminal possession of a weapon. 

He’s facing 25 years to life in prison. 

Aamir had just started his freshman year at Benjamin Cordozo High School. 

His would-be basketball coach, Ron Naclerio, says he had been looking forward to coaching Aamir. 

“Being 14 years old and losing a game is part of life,” Naclerio said. “Being 14 years old and getting killed should never be in anybody’s script.”

Aamir’s mother was, understandably, extremely emotional Tuesday. 

Her sister, Aamir’s 10-year-old aunt, Serenity Griffin, told NY1, “I can’t go into my backyard no more because that’s where he normally played basketball, I can’t go back there no more. I just hope people can stop the violence, put the guns down, maybe go to college, get their masters degree, get a job.”

Serenity says, without Aamir, her world is dimmer. 

“He came to my house every day. And he made so much noise, he was so noisy, so it’s like, my whole neighborhood after here, what happened, the past two years is like, quiet,” Serenity said.

Coach Naclerio says his team is quieter, too. 

“When he was playing well and somebody was playing bad, he managed to pat him on the back,” Naclerio said. “‘Don’t worry, tomorrow you’re going to be good, tomorrow you’re going to be good.’”

It’s that spirit that Coach Naclerio wanted to bring to his team, permanently. 

Which is why he had a Cardozo basketball jersey made and framed with Griffin’s name on it, and his favorite number, 2.

“He asked me, ‘Coach Naclerio, when I hopefully make the varsity, can I get #2?’” Naclerio said. “It destroys me, Aamir, that I can’t physically hand you a #2 Cardozo jersey. But yes, yes, yes. You can get a #2 Cardozo jersey.”

Over the summer, an NYPD officer petitioned for a grant to revamp the court where Aamir was killed.

Off-duty officers and firefighters came out to help paint it. 

Aamir’s face is on one of the hoops and his name is painted on the court. 

Community members hope it will become a place where kids can play and just be kids going forward.