A vigil was held for a 16-year-old boy who was shot and killed on a street corner on the Lower East Side by a group of teens Friday night.
Many have been coming and going stopping by the makeshift memorial where 16-year-old Raphael Ward was shot dead. Friends and family were too grief stricken to appear on camera but one friend did share memories of Raphael with Fox 5.
Around 9:00 p.m. Ward was shot and killed as he hung out with friends. Now more than 24 hours later, friends and family light candles in front of this convenience store on Rivington and Columbia and hold one another. Friends like Skyan who knew him from the local boys and girls club.
"Just him being funny and enjoying life while he had it," said Skyan thinking of good memories.
Known for his love of sports, Raphael played baseball and was a huge basketball fan. He also leaves behind a little brother.
"Yeah it's going to be hard for him. It will be hard for him to grow up," said an emotional Skyan.
Raphael lived nearby. A cousin who didn't want to appear on camera says the shooter was someone younger than Raphael. Published reports say this may have happened over a coat but police have not confirmed that. Regardless of the reason friends say they can't believe he's gone.
"He wasn't innocent but he was it was surprising to me." said Skyan.
State Senator Daniel Squadron said in a statement, "No parent should ever have to face the unspeakable tragedy of losing a child. We must continue to work together as a community to fight the scourge of gun violence and make our homes and our streets safer for our families."
Police have made no arrests at this time and their investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).
Friday, May 17 2013 5:54 PM EDT2013-05-17 21:54:45 GMT
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A smuggling ring that made a fortune selling more than a million cartons of untaxed cigarettes in New York may have funneled some of the illicit proceeds to terrorist groups, authorities said.
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Thursday, May 16 2013 1:36 PM EDT2013-05-16 17:36:00 GMT
A water taxi struck a dock at Pier A and Battery Park Place in Manhattan on Thursday, according to FDNY officials. Two people suffered minor injuries. They refused medical attention.
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Thursday, May 16 2013 1:17 PM EDT2013-05-16 17:17:42 GMT
Several New York lawmakers are sounding the alarm about security and safety lapses at day care centers across New York City.
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A judge in Manhattan put the brakes on the so-called Taxi of Tomorrow because the Nissan-built minivan does not come in a hybrid version -- a violation of the city code.
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