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“Bullets don’t have a name,” Unity in the Community Founder Anton Moore said to the crowd gathered outside Clarice Douglas’ home on the 1500 block of South Corlies Street April 25.
Bullets took the innocent woman’s life April 20. As she waited on her street for her youngest children to arrive home from school, she was caught in the midst of Hakeem Burley and Shekinah Williams’ alleged gun duel. (Burley is in custody, but a $5,000 reward remains available for information leading to Williams’ arrest.)
A mix of community groups organized the peaceful demonstration in Grays Ferry to demand an end to violence and a fundraiser to support the family.
“A mother was taken on these streets and we need answers,” Moore, of 20th Street and Snyder Avenue, said.
The homicide marks the second of 2012 in Grays Ferry, and follows last year’s tally of seven slayings, with four occurring between Sept. 28 and Oct. 8.
“I actually live up the street — two blocks away,” Jordan Harris, a resident of 31st and Reed streets, who was victorious in last week’s primary election for 186th District state representative, said at the vigil. “I love everyone, but I don’t love when folks shoot each other in the community.”
Tony Williams has lived next door to the Douglas family for about 17 years.
“She’s a very good person, very nice,” he said after the vigil. “We used to sit back and laugh, joke around as neighbors should.”
He was behind his home in his driveway when his son alerted him their neighbor had been shot. Williams dialed 911.
“I’m really against guns out here because there’s too many people getting killed like this woman here,” he said. “She’s a good person, a good mother.”
The 45-year-old had five children — Wayne Newell Jr., 28; Anesa Newell, 21; Keyonna Douglas, 18; Savion Douglas, 11; and Bryonna Douglas, 8. Anesa Newell currently is caring for her younger siblings, and plans to seek legal guardianship.
“I may have to transfer,” she said referencing Maryland’s Hood College, where she is studying criminology and social work. “That’s a small sacrifice.”
Keyonna Douglas, a senior at Universal Audenried High School, 3301 Tasker St., has been accepted to Millersville University and plans to pursue the same degree, but first Victoria D. Wylie, of 22nd and Mifflin streets, is piecing together what she hopes will be a memorable prom.
“I’ve got a dress for her right now — beautiful,” Wylie, who founded 4 Da Luv of Taylay after her brother Donte was killed inside his Point Breeze home in ’08, said. “Her mother would want it.”
The support from the community, that includes $500 in donations collected from neighbors and complete strangers at the vigil, has been incredible, Anesa Newell said.
“I don’t know how to put that into words,” she said. “This is the stuff that you see on TV.”
Contact Managing Editor Amanda L. Snyder at asnyder@southphillyreview.com or ext. 117.
Also in this week’s Police Report:
Fatally pierced
Evening walk turns violent
Almost captured
No entry allowed
Stop, rob and run
In April’s Court Report:
Familial tensions
Convicted of slaying boyfriend
17-year-old sentenced for shooting
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