Family, friends remember 16-year-old killed in West Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Balloons filled the sky, and emotions ran high as dozens of people gathered Friday evening to remember a teen gunned down in West Philadelphia early Thursday morning.
Sixteen-year-old Izir Williams was shot near 41st Street and Lancaster Avenue and later died at the hospital.
"When is this gonna stop? Who is gonna stop this?" asked Izir's aunt, Monique Rome.
"It's hard for us. It's hard for us to have to bury a baby, and that was my baby, that was my right-hand man," added the victim's uncle, Eugene Williford.
As school has ended and summer is set to begin, the community is activated to combat violence and criminal behavior among the city's youth.
Many attended the Salvation Army's "Spread Love, Not Bullets" gun violence awareness event on Thursday. It was a symposium of workshops and a place to get connected to ongoing resources and activities in a safe space.
"The Salvation Army Kroc Center, it's a beacon of hope for people to come off the streets inside to a safe community and have something to do, these kids need something to do," said Lt. Pastor Joequetta Sorrells.
The city has also opened six CERC, ( https://www.phila.gov/programs/community-evening-resource-centers/ ) or Community Event Resource Centers, which are open daily from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. to keep youth engaged and out of harm's way.
City leaders say a curfew that is in effect will be enforced. Children 13 and under must be home by 930 p.m. Children 14-17 must be home by 10 p.m.
If any teens are caught in violation, city leaders said the first step will be family reunification. If that's not possible, the youth will be taken to a CERC or Community Event Resource Center.
As teens mourned their friend in West Philadelphia Friday, taking up most of a city intersection with police protection for the event, a motive for Izir's killing has not been released, and no arrests have been made.
"You did what you did, just turn yourself in, just turn yourself in," Williford said.
