Judy Moore is still dealing with the traumatic effects caused by the death of her son.
Zachary Moore, 19, was killed on March 01, 2010 as a result of a drive-by shooting while walking home with friends from a near-by nightclub.
“ When I lost my son, it was like my spark was gone, I see life a whole lot differently. Stress hits me in the stomach,” says Moore, 45. “I cried for two months straights, day and night. Now, a part of me is missing forever.”
In the City of Miami, the alarming rate of drive-by shootings have given way to numerous candlelight vigils, memorials and hundreds of funerals in a community terrorized by street violence, which continues to take innocent lives, including those of many children.
In the past two years at least 69 drive-by shootings have resulted in either injury or death.
According to the statistics provided by the City of Miami Police Department, this year alone 46 percent of these victims were under the age of 21.
Altogether, street violence in the City of Miami has resulted in 133 homicides between January of 2009 and October of 2010. Out of these murders, 67 occurred in 2010 and the year is not over.
Zachary had recently graduated from Booker T. Washington High School and was awarded a 4-year grant to attend Miami-Dade College to study forensic science. “It’s a tragedy, his life was cut short for nothing, they killed a very angelical soul,” said Moore.
She’s convinced that Zachary had never been involved in any criminal activity. “I have ten boys, all of them are good boys. They don’t have police records. They are very peaceful, because we are a spiritual family, they don’t start trouble, instead they run away from it,” said Moore.
The City of Miami Police Department has put forth initiatives to prevent some of these violent crimes. ‘Take back the streets’ was an operation conducted during a week in the month of August. An increased number of officers patrolled the streets of communities such as Liberty City, Over-town, Little Haiti and Model City.
Officer Kenia Reyes from the City of Miami Police Department says it would be ideal for authorities to continue doing this type of operations, but unfortunately due to budget cuts, it is difficult. “We are committed to crack down on this type of violence,” said Reyes.
These efforts seem to fall short of preventing or decreasing the alarming number of victims left by drive-by shootings, said community activist Renita Holmes.
According to Holmes, street violence, particularly drive-by shootings can be attributed to drug-gangs, turf wars and narcotic activity that are prevalent in these communities. It appears as though most of these shootings are taking place in or around public housing, parks, schools and transit lines, places where children are normally present.
“The kids have no voice, they have no resources and what they get is a killer of children, not a builder of children. They are shooting each other down,” said Holmes.
Although Police is reluctant to confirm that there is a correlation between drug gangs and drive-bys, people in the community feel that a big part of the problem is related to drug-gang retaliation or initiation.
“Gang violence has become the basis of everything, its about taking territory to sell drugs, in an organized or disorganized manner, for power and influence,” said Holmes.
Zachary’s mom wants to empower other mothers to prevent their children from being victims of street violence.
“I would tell them to strengthen their bonds with their children, pay close attention to them. Make sure that you have a good understanding of your kids and try to spend quality time with them,” said Moore. “I personally regret not spending enough time with my son, I have 13 kids..well now 12, and I don’t think I gave him the quality time he deserved.”
After Zachary was killed, his brothers and sisters are afraid to go outside. Some of them are even afraid of going to school. “I don’t play basketball any more or hang around with my friends after school,” said Gabriel Moore, Zachary’s brother. “I don’t want to get killed like my brother did, this people don’t care who they shoot at.”
According to Holmes, with all the terror that members of the community have witnessed, they are fed up, some are even psychologically traumatized by the ongoing cold-blooded shootings.
“This needs to stop now. Stop it! I’m tired of picking up bullet shells on the streets…” said Holmes.
(Special thanks to Renita Homes for providing some of the pictures on this blog.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Lj10BFzisM&feature=share
Saw this today and recalled each moment, in Liberty city adn Overtown. The photos detect the image of mothers and a group that hardly know the other side of the game and are my friends partners and neighbors all are positive members of the community that advocate peace and are caught in the midst of of mass misperception miseducation and genocide gentrification. You have touched so much Maria, but sadly we would short of the bow if we did not include ass abuse at the hands of government local, and abroad.
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