Junior had a heart of gold and helped everyone he could, wherever he could. He didn’t always make the best choices for himself, but he changed direction in 2011 and believed in a better way. He started working, followed his parole order, made all of his meetings and did everything he was supposed to do. He was a full-time dad to his only son; and a great brother, son and uncle. He was raised in a house full of love and laughter and gave as much back to those around him. He was gunned down on his way to play basketball with his younger brother, after a beautiful day at the zoo with his son. His legacy will live on forever but his vibrancy will be missed terribly. I’m a friend of the family and his death feels like it happened to one of my own. I can’t imagine the pain his parents, son, brother and sisters are feeling. Be peaceful, Junior.

My beautiful mother, Janet was shot in the head Sept 18, 1971. I was ten years old and heard the whole thing from my bedroom. Her ex boyfriend came to our house in a jealous rage and proceeded to murder her while I cried, helpless to do anything in my bed. He was arrested and stood trial but was acquitted on the grounds of temporary insanity. He never served a day in prison and to my knowledge never spent any time in a mental facility. He was married and had children of his own but made no provision for me or my future. He robbed me of my mother, my only parent. She was beautiful, happy, artistic and made me feel loved and happy. At ten years old my whole world crumbled. I was left to the care of grandparents as I had no siblings. She didn’t deserve to die and to be gunned down like that. I’ve had to struggle all my life with this nightmare and not a day goes by that I don’t replay this in my mind. I can’t believe he didn’t serve a day’s time for this horrific crime. There were two victims that night and why he left me alone I’ll never know. I’ve survived but the pain has never gone away. He brought the gun to our house and claimed it was my mothers and he was upset with her because she wanted to break up with him. She had broken up with him when she found out he was married. After 40 years it still is a nightmare that I can’t resolve. He has lived a nice life, seen his children raised and now has grandchildren. He lives not too far from me and I have friends that know his children.

We lost our sweet Blair on July 5, 2011 to a tragic accident. She was with family and friends on the 4th of July, being the fun, loving, always smiling beautiful girl she always was. She was taken from us by a bullet fired into the air.

Our goal now is to work to get Blair’s Law passed. Making it a felony to discharge a firearm into the air within the city limits. Elimination through Education: The Deadly act of willfully discharging firearms in the air as a form of “celebration”.

To our beloved son, Melvin Darnell “Bonner” Robbins, Not a day goes by you’re not thought of. Not a day goes by you’re not missed.

The day of Sept.11, 2010 will always be remembered as the day we said goodbye. We celebrate your life, forever your memory is with us.

Love Daddy

On May 28, 2000, Lori Gonzalez, granddaughter of then, Los Angeles police chief, Bernard Parks, was shot and killed while driving with a friend in her car in L.A.

She was an innocent victim caught up in what is believed to have been a gang-related attack, just a week shy of her 21st birthday.

A first-year student at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, California, she had graduated from Universal College of Beauty and planned to open her own salon one day. On June 7, 2000, Samuel Sharad Shabazz, age 18, was arrested for the murder of Lori and is now serving a life sentence.

Linda Whiting, 50, was attending a dinner party at her friend’s home, on March 13, 2011, in Phoenix, Arizona, when an argument between her friend’s 18-year son, a Detroit man, who was visiting his family, and his step-father became violent.

Linda Whiting was in the house when the shooting began, and tried to run outside to escape the 18-year-old shooter. He shot Linda, who was taken to an area hospital where she was pronounced dead.

ABC 15 Story: Family remembers innocent woman killed

Alma Washington, was murdered February 1989 in Los Angeles. She was sitting in her wheelchair looking out the window when a shot was fired at a boy running past her window. She was fatally struck by the bullets. Two boys were arrested; the 14 year-old juvenile was released early and other is served an unknown period of time.

An only child, Reginald L. Reese, 19 was shot to death in San Pedro, December 6, 1995. His body was found with multiple gunshot wounds, in a vacant parking lot near the San Pedro Harbor. Reginald was a student and worked for Spirit Cruise Lines. His case, like so many others remains unsolved.

Jennifer LeAnne Balber – 12/2/1973 – 11/10/1994

A SoCal Gas Co Meter Maid who was fatally shot in the line of service.  Jen was a 20 year old innocent victim of a senseless drive-by shooting.

May 5th 2009: my 13-year-old son, Draysean, was shot in his head.

It was at the end of the school year, right before graduation, and my son and some friends took it upon themselves to have a Jr. High School “ditch day”.

So my son was sitting with a group of Jr. High School kids in the front yard of a house around the corner from my son’s school. A rival gang member of that neighborhood came running down the street shooting into the crowd of kids killing my son and another, Andrew Peppers (16).

Draysean was not in a gang and was an honor roll student according the principle and teachers at Roosevelt Middle School. The school seemed not to find it strange that an honor roll student was at school in the morning then disappeared. Administrators never bothered to call his mother to inform her that her son was not in attendance.

A teenager armed with a gun he never should have had opened fire in a crowded Salt Lake City shopping mall. He shot me and killed five people, including my beautiful 15-year-old daughter, Kirsten.

After the shooting, I found out that the shooter was too young to legally buy his gun, but a pawn shop sold it to him anyway. The shop is still in business — and even kept the profit it made off this gun sale.

But with the help of the Brady Center’s Legal Action Project, we are holding that pawn shop accountable in court. The shop fought us all the way to the Utah Supreme Court, but the Brady Center’s attorneys helped me get my day in court, and we’re set for trial this year.

I don’t want another mom to lose her child, like I lost my daughter.

» News video, 5 years after the senseless attack.

On Sunday January 22, 2012 I woke up to the news that my younger cousin was murdered at a party at about 1:00 o’clock that morning. He was 22 years old and left behind 3 young children ages 3, 1, and 8 months old. He was very loyal to his friends and family and would be there whenever you needed him. The man who shot him turned himself in and had his first court appearance yesterday.

I’m glad that we will get justice for Neal but it will never take away the pain this has brought our family. My heart goes out to all the other families who have suffered the loss of a family member in this manner. I will miss my cousin everyday for the rest of my life. I love you Neal! Neal Alvin McCree Jr. 11/29/89-1/22/12.

Chace was loved by family, friends, and neighbors and that was expressed when I flew from NY to Gary, Indiana the morning he was shot. I arrived at the hospital and there were kids lining the walls of the hospital that reminded me of people waiting to get the hottest ticket to the biggest band. They were weary, crying, holding pillows because they had slept in the hallway for word that Chace was going to make it. I didn’t know them because he lived with my grandmother. So I had no idea they were there for him. As I was being escorted by the nurse to his room in ICU she told me these kids are here for him. We normally don’t allow this many people in the waiting room, but we felt they were so distraught we couldn’t turn them away. We arranged with the hospital for each of them to go in sets of two to say goodbye to him. I will hold on to that day because he only had 19 years to make his mark on the lives of others. That day I knew his mark was to love and be loved. As a parent I could not have asked for more of or for him. I will be lighting candles in memory of slain friends, strangers, and above all my only child.