6 The Courier sun • may 23, 2013 for breaking news visit www.couriersun.com As family mourns teen, community comes together to ‘STOP THE CARNAGE’ BY MAGIE HAYES [email protected] What community leaders are calling a “senseless act of violence” has left a 14-year-old girl dead, a family devastated and a neighborhood outraged. D’aja “Asia” Robinson was shot and killed on Saturday, May 18 aboard a Q6 bus near Sutphin Boulevard and Rockaway Boulevard. Robinson was on her way from a sweet 16 birthday party when a shooter allegedly fired multiple times into the bus from the sidewalk, police said. “That was my only child. My heart. My everything,” Shadia Sands, the teen’s mother, said through tears. “I don’t know how to deal with this.” Since the incident, there has been an outpouring of grief from the community. Friends and family covered a bulletin board near the bus stop with hundreds of messages to Robinson. They described her as a charismatic, sweet girl who was a gifted singer and dancer and liked getting her nails done. Her grandmother, Cheryl Sands, stood at the board, stroking pictures of “her baby.” “I’d die myself for her to come back here and live her life,” she said. “My heart is bleeding. She was a good girl.” The southeast Queens community came together on Tuesday, May 21 to call on the shooter or shooters to come forward. NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly said police are looking for a suspect between the ages of 18 and 25 who was last seen wearing a black sweater, according to reports. “South Jamaica is standing unified behind this family,” said Councilmember Ruben Wills. Wills noted that prior to the shooting, the area went 255 days without a violent incident and said that South Jamaica is “not a hyper-violent community.” The City Council announced it will allocated $4.8 million to initiatives such as Cure Violence to put an end to shootings. Wills said there will be a meeting next month to discuss directing resources to the community. City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said the city hopes to “make this a summer where we don’t have to ever gather again to talk about the end of a child’s life.” “What we do know is that we failed Robinson. The United States Congress in particular failed to protect her,” said Congressmember Gregory Meeks. Meeks called on the Congress to “enact meaningful gun control legislation to help stop the carnage in communities and homes and now buses across the nation.” Family and friends remember D’aja “Asia” Robinson, who was struck and killed by a stray bullet aboard a Q6 bus. Students at Robinson’s school, Campus Magnet High School, wore purple, pink and blue earlier this week in memory of their classmate. Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS. The public can also THE COURIER/Photo by Maggie Hayes submit tips by logging onto Crime Stoppers’ website or by texting their tips to CRIMES (274637) and entering TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential. With additional reporting by Cristabelle Tumola. HOW THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT IMPACTS OLDER ADULTS Hear From The Experts at FREE FLUSHING HOUSE Seminars Maria Alvarez, Executive Director, NY StateWide Senior Action Council: Ms. Alvarez will address the entire range of beneficiary issues, i.e., how changes to coverage through Medicare, Managed Care and Medicaid, under the new regulations of ACA and Medicaid Re-Design, will impact the scope, choice and delivery of benefits and services for older adults. Saturday, June 1, 2013 2:30pm-4:00pm Ronald Fatoullah, Esq., Elder Law Attorney: Medicaid eligibility rules are rapidly changing. Mr. Fatoullah gives an overview of the Medicaid program and explains how to protect one’s assets in the event long-term health care is needed. He will also review five essential legal documents that seniors should have. He will explain the importance of a (i) last will and testament (ii) power of attorney (iii) health care proxy (iv) living will and (v) living trust. Saturday, June 8, 2013 2:30pm-4:00pm Ann-Margaret Carrozza, Esq., Elder Law Attorney: Seniors must know how to protect their homes. Ms. Carrozza will explore asset protection trusts for the primary residence, and estate tax planning, in light of 2013 Federal estate tax changes. She will also update seniors on how to get the long-term care they need through Medicaid, while still protecting their assets. Saturday, June 15, 2013 2:30pm-4:00pm – – FREE Handouts, Refreshments For All Attendees – – Call Robert Salant at (347) 532-3025 to RSVP or: [email protected] Flushing House Senior Retirement Residence 38-20 Bowne Street, Flushing, New York 11354 Maria Alvarez Ronald Fatoullah Ann M. Carrozza
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