Family of shooting victim speaks out

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Everyone knew him as Uncle Vern on the streets of this neighborhood. 60 year old Joseph Washington was also a grandfather. But it's not a grandfather or an uncle that his daughter wants him to be remembered as.

"My dad was shot in the head and because of that shooting he died," said Washington's daughter.

Nona Holman says her fathers death was just another senseless act of violence. Like many we hear about so often. But what she told News 4 she learned about her fathers shooting is even more disturbing.

"The motive I heard was just that it was teenagers that was some type of gang initiation or something and they were randomly shooting into that crowd and didn't care who they hit," said Holman.

Holman's father Joseph was struck in the head by gunfire as he sat talking to friends last Saturday behind this gas station on Main and Glenwood.

He would die less than two days later. Ironically on the day he was shot his son-in-law Murray Holman was planning to escort Randy Sargent for part of Randy's walk to Washington D.C. to bring attention to street violence.

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You may recognize Murray. Murray started the Stop the Violence Coalition. He says it was no surprise when he heard what happened and where it happened.

Murray said, "The Stop the Violence bus goes all over the City in that area over there that is out of control. It's not just the drugs, it's just out of control. Any time you got a transit type of environment it's out of control."

In a new attempt to regain control of their streets and send a message to the cities youth involved in a life of crime, Nona Holman is asking that pictures of her father from his hospital bed just days before he passed away be shown.

"They don't understand that what they are doing is hurting people. They don't understand that the last picture of my father that I will have will be these pictures that you will see. My children have to remember their grandfathers picture from being shot in the head looking like a monster," said Holman.

News 4 was live on Glenwood and Main, where Joseph Washington is being remembered Sunday night. And News 4 mentioned Randy Sargent and his trip to Washington D.C. to bring awareness to street violence.

The Holman's say another member of the family in place of Murray Holman will now be meeting Randy along the way to D.C.