Families of homicide honor loved ones at the National Day of Remembrance

Families gathered to honor their loved ones at Mount Olivet Baptist church on Saturday for the National Day of Remembrance for Homicide Victims.
Families gathered to honor their loved ones at Mount Olivet Baptist church on Saturday for the National Day of Remembrance for Homicide Victims.

PETERSBURG— Gospel music reverberated throughout the sanctuary as some stood up and raised their hands, singing "God, he is my hope."

"Do you believe it today?" said the gospel leader. Tears streamed down a mother's face. A 3-year-old girl walked to the front, hand in hand with her great grandma, holding a battery-powered candle. "That's your daddy," the great-grandma said as she pointed to the picture of Tyquan Ridges.

"Daddy," the little girl said.

Ridges died earlier this year, on April 12, when he was shot at the Citgo gas station on E. Washington St. He was only 20 years old.

Ridges death is still fresh on his mother's mind. "It's really hard," said Krystle Mora through tears.

September 25th is the National Day of Remembrance for Homicide Victims, where families all over the country gather and honor their loved ones. It's also a day to commemorate the organizations that support these families. The city's Victim Witness Assistance Program organized the event at Mount Olivet Baptist Church to provide a safe space for them.

One by one, people got up to share.

Ridges' grandmother shared a memory she had of him. She had just overcome breast cancer last year. During that time, Ridges would give her foot massages. "You're the woman that I love," Ridges told her. "I have no other woman but you."

"He had so many girls," the grandma said. Others chuckled. His three-year-old daughter was crazy just like Ridges, his grandma said.

Ridges birthday passed a couple weeks ago. He would've turned 21. "I'll never know what he could've been because another young man took his life," the grandma said.

Another woman got up to share about her brother, Terry Saunders, who died over two decades ago. He was 30 years old and about to marry the woman of his dreams. He left behind a daughter and an adopted daughter.

"He was a Redskins fan. I was a Dallas Cowboys fan. So I switched up. I'm a Redskins fan because of him," said sister Karla Saunders. She tries to do all she can to keep his memory alive.

Pam Walker, who lost her 20-year-old son, encouraged all those present that she was there for them whenever they needed a shoulder to cry on. "We have to come together some way, ya'll, to support each other because the pain gets unbearable," she said.

"We have to change our behaviors. We have to get back to where we used to be. We have to reclaim our city," said Chief Travis Christian.

Sheriff Vanessa Crawford lost her teenage son to senseless violence over 30 years ago, and the case remains unsolved to this day. "Always remember, when you feel like you are drowning in life, don't worry. Your lifeguard walks on water," she said.

Ashanti Hogan, the Victim Witness Program Director, said that anytime any family needs support, they can always come to the office or call them at 804-732-0226.

Joyce Chu, an award-winning investigative journalist, is the Social Justice Watchdog Reporter for The Progress Index. Contact her with comments, concerns, or story-tips at Jchu1@gannett.com or on Twitter @joyce_speaks.

This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Petersburg honors homicide victims at National Day of Remembrance