NEW HAVEN, Conn. — What happened to T’ashawn Brown and his family has happened to far too many people in the city of New Haven and the year is far from over.
"I’m angry and I’m tired of crying," said the victim's mother Latasha Brown.
The pain unimaginable for most but becoming all too familiar for mothers in New Haven. The feeling of burying a child.
"Grab your kids. Hold your kids. Tell your kids you love them because baby you don’t know the last time you going to see them, said Brown.
Brown, 18, was gunned down after a fight with another person at a family barbeque. Neighbors recall hearing so many shots they thought it was fireworks.
Brown had just graduated high school and had received a scholarship to attend college. His death is the third homicide in the Elm City in the last five days.
"We’ve got to come together and patrol our own neighborhood and have some control over our young men and women who are out in the streets," said Rev. Boise Kimber.
The city of New Haven is working on a three-step approach to curb the violence that includes increased enforcement, violence intervention and rehabilitation. Rev. Kimber asking for more community policing.
"The Mayor and the Chief have to come up with a plan in reference to how the officers will get out of their cars, walk the streets, learn the people and understand who is in their district," said Rev. Kimber.
New Haven Police Union President Florencio Cotto addressed the rise in violent crime in a statement calling out city leaders for being concerned about the wrong topics.
"The graphic incidents New Haven police officers have seen this year —conflict after conflict resulting in a loss of life—will remain carved in the general public’s memory. Shooting and murders are both rapidly rising, but our city leaders are clearly more concerned with 'thin blue line masks'. What we are seeing is the outcome of bad policies, anti-police rhetoric, and a pro-criminal agenda forced by elected officials at every level of government. They chose this strategy. They will have to assume the consequences.”
Mayor Elicker finding the finger-pointing unfortunate.
"We’ve got to work together now especially at this time when the city is facing challenges that we haven’t seen in decades and decades. We have to work together and not politicize these things," said Elicker.
The city says part of the crime intervention and rehabilitation plan includes targeting people they believe could be involved in these crimes. They will offer resources that could prevent them from going down the wrong path but also let them know the city is watching.
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