A crowd held a vigil Monday in light of recent shootings in Crown Heights. 

“Children should be protected in our community,” Reverend Taharka Robinson, chaplain of the 77th Precinct Community Council, said at the vigil.

What You Need To Know

  • The 77th Precinct Community Council held a vigil Monday in light of recent shootings in Crown Heights

  • Family members of gun violence victims in the community attended

  • Organizers said the vigil was meant to be a safe space for the community to grieve

  • A 13-year-old, a 33-year-old and bodega worker were all killed in Crown Heights in the last week

One of the victims represented at the vigil was 13-year-old Troy Gill, who was fatally shot late Thursday night.

“The senseless murders of individuals within a short period of time, the last one being the young 13-year-old who was killed just recently,” Brian Saunders, president of the 77th Precinct Community Council, said.

The 77th Precinct Council held a community vigil to condemn recent gun violence in the community and to offer a safe space for people to grieve.

“The presence is here. We are offering prayer. We’re offering peace,” Saunders said.

In addition to Gill, a bodega worker was killed last Monday and 33-year-old Lamine Bah was killed last Wednesday in Crown Heights.

Robin Lyde knows what it’s like losing a loved one. She lost her son Benny Lyde to gun violence in 2005.

“We’ve been sentenced to a lifetime of never seeing him again,” Lyde said.

She offers this advice to Gill’s family.

“Be your son’s voice to get answers for the person who shot him so he [doesn’t] get to do this to anyone else,” Lyde said.

There are no arrests in any of the recent murders in Crown Heights.