Park and other officials spoke at a forum at Plainfield High School, where more than 150 people, including families of Marcano and three shooting survivors, converged after a march across the city.
"Please spread the word," Park said. "We need help."
Acknowledging the fear of retaliation, Park gave out an anonymous tip line, 908-654-TIPS, for those who know anything about the circumstances of the crime Sunday at West Third Street and Manson Place. She said the investigation had already taken up 775 man-hours, but she said even putting hundreds of officers on the case might not solve it without the cooperation of the public.
Acting Union County Sheriff Joseph Cryan recounted the early morning phone call he received about the crime and, saying he wanted to "put a face" on the 20-year-old homicide victim, described how the young man held three jobs, did charitable work and was devoted to his family and his mother's love.
Later his mother, surrounded by relatives wearing T-shirts with his photo, gave the same account of a hard-working, ambitious only son who came to Plainfield from Trinidad for a better life. Her life revolved around his, she said, with phone calls to make sure he got back and forth safely to his jobs and just waiting for him to be back home.
"When you go home, you go home to your family," she said. "I go home to an empty house."
The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information about the matter is urged to contact Prosecutor’s Office Sgt. Kevin Grimmer at 908-447-3777 or Detective Barry Kaplan at 908-418-2817.
At the forum, authorities promised more police patrols and future citywide camera surveillance, but residents called for more youth activities and employment to steer young people away from crime. Mayor Adrian O. Mapp said he expects to hold a Youth Summit within the next two to three weeks.
The homicide was the city's first this year, in contrast to eight by the same time last year. Park said two of Sunday's shooting victims have been released from the hospital and the third is now in stable condition.
Plainfield Police Director Carl Riley said police have recovered 41 guns this year, including one on Monday and three Wednesday night, one of which was linked to a shooting at West Fourth and New streets. Johnpaul Martin, 20, was charged with attempted murder and weapons charges in addition to numerous drug charges when arrested Wednesday at his East Ninth Street home. Besides the guns, police found nearly an ounce of cocaine and five marijuana plants at the home.
Initially announced for a cross-city route nearly five miles long, the 5 p.m. "Stop the Violence" march was modified so participants could reach the high school for the 7 p.m. forum.
"We had an energetic, spirited group that was motivated to continue the process of peace, prosperity and progress here in the city of Plainfield," activist Norman X. Johnson said as the group entered the auditorium. "This is not a march, this is a movement."
--Bernice
My apology for being so negative, but who does Sharon Robinson Briggs think she is? As she appears in the courier news leading a march of about 20 people, I find it ironic that she has the audacity to advocate for non-violence. I’m sure others, as well as myself have witness her threaten people with bodily harm and the way she abuse people verbally with obscenities and name calling is a shame. Sharon is a loser that needs to go sit her ghetto self down somewhere. Remember Sharon, when you were in office, we had 10 murders one year, 8 another and so on. Look up the statistics on the internet. Your political career in Plainfield is finish. Your so-called truce between gang members when you were in office is certainly not enough to ever get you re-elected.
ReplyDeleteAs I recall, when SRB had her Gang Summit aka WBLS money scandal, Jerry Green spoke about being from da hood and not snitching. If this is what your elected official preaches than the people in da hood don't stand a chance. Of course Jerry Green doesn't live in da hood, so if his son were killed....
ReplyDeleteAnd where was our honorable Assemblyman?
ReplyDeleteJerry was present and spoke. Among his remarks was the hardest thing about the homicide was that it was a "black-on-black crime" and he said, "That's not acceptable."
DeleteNo murder acceptable.
DeletePeriod.
-- so per Jerry, black killing whites is okay?
ReplyDeletewhy differentiate?
Plainfield is small enough that we can exert control. We need a bicycle club where we work to rehab the old bikes in our garages and basements, get a collective price on all of the legally required helmets, reflectors, lights, etc. and then at least a hundred of us should ride around recording and communicating. It could be part of a health and weight loss initiative.
ReplyDeleteThere is no such thing as "black-on-black crime"--that is a designation that is reserved for use only when African Americans commit crimes, as if there is something peculiar or abnormal about crime patterns regarding blacks. Frankly, I am sick of the term. It is buying into white supremacist (FOX, Rush Limbaugh, etc.) thinking.
ReplyDeleteThey do not speak of "white-on-white crime" when whites commit crimes against each other. MOST crimes are committed INTRA-racially and INTRA-ethnically. Last year, there was a murder where a son killed his mother--I did not see that referred to as "white-on-white crime"; nor did I see another murder-suicide referred to as "white-on-white crime"; in both these instances, the perpetrators and the victims were all white people.
I also don't hear the term "Asian-on-Asian crime," "Italian-on-Italian crime," and other unwieldy designations. It is extremely unfortunate that even black folks still buy into this type of wording by perpetuating the myth of "black-on-black" crime as particularly aberrant, and black people as "other" in all that we do. All that I am saying goes to the "perception" of our young black men and women as different--which leads to alienation and disaffection. I think we ought to retire the term completely and just focus on ending crime in our communities.
That said, I am in full agreement with the prosecutor when she says that we can solves these crimes far more quickly if we have the full cooperation of everyone in our community. I am hopeful that someone who may have seen something will call in as the investigation continues.
Rebecca
God bless our young people.