Far Rockaway residents are mourning the murder of an 18-year-old. They’re also charting their own healing.

James Scott was a kid standing at the precipice of his adult life. Months ago, he became a parent to his first son, Kaiden. Scott wanted to do more than support his son financially, he wanted to be a good dad like his father, James Scott Sr. aka Snoop. Snoop and his family lived in the Forties, a New York City Housing Authority complex in Far Rockaway, Queens. He lifted weights in the community gym every day. His six-year-old daughter was enrolled in programs. For Scott, signing up to lift weights with dad was only natural.

At 8 p.m. a gunman approached the Forties through a dark walkway. He opened fire on a crowd and struck Scott in the chest. 25-year-old Corey Gasby, was shot in the head. As people scattered, Scott and Gasby collapsed. Emergency medical services arrived 30 minutes later. Witnesses say Scott was alive when he was put into the ambulance. He later passed away at St. John's Hospital. Gasby was rushed to Jamaica Hospital.

“Jamaica Hospital definitely saved his life,” said Gasby’s aunt, Jacqueline Desire. “Their trauma center is excellent, fast, and efficient.” Since 2011, St. John’s has been the only hospital in Far Rockaway. Gasby’s aunts said they’ve seen people die while waiting for care at St Johns. Results from her blood and urine test took five hours, according to Cristen, Gasby’s aunt. For years, community members have felt neglected by the city. There's never enough funding to support community initiatives that address symptoms of generational poverty. Those who get shot can't receive trauma care in the area.

“What they want to bring here is counseling, I’m not too fond of it,” said Holmes. She believes building cameras and alarm systems will make a difference. Requests for functional cameras in the Forties have gone unfulfilled because of budgeting issues. In the meantime, she says kids in the community are coping in silence. In this community, snitching is a death wish. After 20 years of living in the Forties, Holmes is sure her community can heal from within.

Rock Safe Streets is stopping gun violence through job development, mentorship, and education initiatives. In 2017, Far Rock celebrated a year without a single shooting. Executives say the program works because it's led by respected community members. Gang affiliation remains one of their biggest challenges. “They can’t go to the GED program because they might get shot in that area,” said Brown. Scott was Brown’s participant. He heard Scott's last words before he was put into an ambulance. Brown described the loss as “frustrating.”