Wilmington residents rally to end violence
The name Aaron Fairley was on the lips of Wilmington resident Raymonda Demby as she released a golden balloon into Saturday's summer sky.
Demby said Fairley was like a stepson. He was 19 when he was gunned down on at Sixth and Franklin streets in 2003.
Dozens of golden balloons were sent flying from Prospect Run Park on Wilmington's north side for a rally to end gun violence. Each balloon was released in remembrance of one of the city's gunfire victims.
"We need to bring the community together," said Demby, who attended the anti-violence rally in the park with her granddaughter.
She said the six-year-old remains afraid of being outside at night after witnessing a shooting three years ago.
"This shows her you can be among people and good things can come from it," Demby said.
The event featured a cookout and concert.
"The message is unity in the community," said Mahkieb Booker, a local peace activist and founder of Black Lives Matter Wilmington, which hosted the event.
There have been 74 shooting victims in the city so far this year – 14 of them have been fatal. Saturday morning, a 27-year-old was shot multiple times in the face and shoulder in Wilmington's Little Italy neighborhood.
There were 131 instances of gun violence in Wilmington last year, injuring 151 and killing 26.
"In Wilmington, it's like 27th Street versus 23rd Street," Booker said. "You do stuff like this to bring people together."
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Wilmington designer Ernest Pitts sat at a table displaying T-shirts emblazoned with "Stop the violence." He said he wanted to spread the message through shirts he designed.
"Not everyone is about violence," Pitts said. "Hopefully, we can send a message."
The rally was swarmed with local political candidates seeking several different state, county and city offices in this fall's elections.
The city is an important center for votes for county and city politicians, as well. A crowded field of mayoral candidates has political observers expecting high turnout in Wilmington for the September primary.
New Castle County Executive Thomas P. Gordon was allowed to take the stage at the event after Booker stumped about a proposed expansion of the port of Wilmington that Gordon is advocating along with local labor officials.
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State officials are currently deciding the path forward for potentially expanding port operations. Gordon's port push is a significant feature of his campaign for a fourth term leading county government.
"It is great being here for all the fellowship today," Gordon said.
Wilmington attorney Matt Meyer, Gordon's opponent in the September primary, was also working the crowd. After Gordon's speech, Meyer said the executive is making job promises that can't be kept.
"To go around promising thousands of jobs ... when we have real problems with public safety is irresponsible," Meyer said. "Maybe it is time to elect someone with a process to actually create jobs."
Booker denied the rally was planned with any political bend. He said the politicking comes with the time of year.
"It is that season," Booker said.
Contact Xerxes Wilson at (302) 324-2787 or xwilson@delawareonline.com. Follow @Ber_Xerxes on Twitter.