Murder victims remembered in Harlem
memorial ceremony
BY TODD MAISEL
New Yorkers who lost
family members to gun
violence held a memorial
rally on Sept. 25 in Harlem
to read the names of victims and
to call to action the city to stop
the fl ow of illegal handguns into
communities that have led to a
rash of shootings and death.
The rally was sponsored by
Harlem Mother’s Stop Another
Violent End (SAVE) led by cofounder
Jackie Rowe-Adams,
herself having lost a son to gun
violence. They brought together
local leaders, elected offi cials and
police commanders, led by Chief
of Community Affairs Jeffrey Maddrey
to honor those lost and to get
out the message on gun violence.
The rally was highlighted by
the discussion by State Senator
Robert Jackson of pending legislation
titled “the Gun Kingpin Bill
of 2019,” in state legislature that
would make possession of 20 or
more guns punishable by up to
25 years in prison. It also stiffens
penalties for gun traffickers,
bringing guns to the city through
the so-called, “iron pipeline” – up
I95 from southern states where
gun sales are lax.
Rowe-Adams gave Chief Maddrey
Chief of Community Affairs Jeffrey Maddrey appeared at 308
West 128 Street, in Harlem in recognition of National Day
of Remembrance for Murder Victims, with families of those
victims. Here, Chief Maddrey greets Jackie Rowe-Adams.
Supporters of anti-gun violence show at National Day of Remembrance
for Murder Victims, with families of those victims.
a big hug when he arrived,
having been a big supporter of her
group’s efforts. She lost two sons
to gun violence – both pictures
on her t-shirt that she proudly
displays on a purple backdrop.
“I’m here today with other
mothers who had a loss because
today is a day of remembrance –
we have to remember our loved
ones,” Rowe-Adams said. “We
have to let people know that their
dying is not going in vain. We
have to let people know that we
stand together, support each other
– we must stop the violence and
stop the guns coming up I95 – the
gun traffi cking is out of control.
We are killing each other.”
Chaplain Robert Rice has
been at the forefront of the antiviolence
movement in Harlem and
a chaplain for Harlem Hospital..
He said he has gone to “way too
many hospitals” where young
men and women have suffered
gunshot wounds and had to tell
family members that their loved
ones were gone.
“Jackie Rowe-Adams is a
spiritual mother of mine, I have a
heart for the city and the community
and as a community chaplain,
I’ve been fi ghting against gun
violence for years in Harlem,”
said Rice who has ministered to
more than 6o families who lost
someone to gun violence. “Over
1,500 people so far have been
shot this year in senseless shootings.
We are losing our young
people and they are heading for
prison for killing or because they
are dying because of gun violence.
We have to get outside our four
walls to help the police stop the
senseless shootings.”
Monica Cassaberry lost her
second-born Jamal Singleton
11-years ago, the second and last
time he was shot in the street –
the last time with a .40 caliber
bullet to his back and ending his
life.
Family members of those killed in gun violence join Chaplain
Rice on the National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims,
with families of those victims.
“Stop killing – what are we doing
to each other – if black lives
matter, why does it only matter
when it’s police brutality? why
does it not matter when it’s us killing
us?” Cassaberry asked. “There
were three different videos of my
son being murdered and nobody
has been apprehended.”
James Edward Gary Sr. was
in attendance to pay homage
to his grandson, Sean Ezekiel
Gary, 15, who was shot in the
head in a car on Farmers Blvd in
Queens 10 years ago by “people
he thought was his friend.” He
said that while police are close to
a break in the case and he wants
closure, but he also wants to get a
non-violence message out.
“The message is you have to be
careful about who you socialize
with and watch where they go,
because sometimes your friends
are not your friends – it’s all
PHOTOS BY TODD MAISEL
about money,” Gary said. “This
is what’s happening on the streets.
It’s going on every day whether
its Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn,
it’s all the same thing – they all
want to be a big shot and they
don’t care who they hurt or kill.”
Chief Maddrey, formerly a
commander of Brooklyn North
where violence has been very
high, said “I don’t know where to
start today.”
“We should be here to honor
these families, these mothers,
fathers, brothers, sisters who
continue to push through and
continue to be an example for us,
despite the pain of the killing,”
Maddrey said. “Despite what they
went through some years ago, and
as recent as a month ago, they
continue to push forward and for
that reason, we need to be here.”
Maddrey questioned why the
violence was continuing and “we
continue to lose our young brothers
and sisters in the street.”
“That’s the reason we are
here – we are here to help them
to continue this fi ght so it is
incumbent upon all of us – we
should be bumping into each
other to be here, the community
should be supporting what we
are doing – supporting saving
our young people in the future.
We shouldn’t have to do this – we
should be out here celebrating
life. Their children shouldn’t have
been taken away from them. So
Harlem – today is a call to action.”
Borough President Gale Brewer appeared at the National Day
of Remembrance for Murder Victims, with families of those
victims.
Schneps Media October 1, 2020 3