Albany community promotes unity with Elijah Cancer Day

ALBANY, N.Y. (WRGB) - Monday night showed a display of strong sense of community in Albany’s South End, where hundreds of people gathered to remember Elijah Cancer, a young man who was shot and killed during a rash of violence last summer.

"He was my baby," said Desiree Ford.

Ford says her son would have loved today's carnival put on just for him.

Cancer was shot and killed in Albany last July. Cancer served time when he was younger, but cleaned his life up and became a leader of SNUG, the city's group against gun violence. Police say he was breaking up a fight when he got shot.

"When people got out he made sure they had money, transportation, clothes and stuff, so if we can do that for somebody who needs help, that's what we're raising money for,” Ford said.

They also want to help the community's young students.

"Our goal is to raise money to continue to give scholarships out," Ford said.

It's all part of an effort to guide the city's young kids down the right path.

"This really is about community, it's about the community coming together to embrace this concept of nonviolence and fellowship,” Albany Police Chief Eric Hawkins said.

Hawkins spoke with families and kids at Monday evening’s gathering, the same day police are investigating three shootings in the city over the weekend.

"We're not seeing any danger to any of our residents as a result of those," Hawkins said. "We think it was just confined to those individuals who were involved."

He says moving forward into the summer the police department is working closely other law enforcement agencies, homeless shelters, schools, and other groups to combat violent situations - and to promote events like this one.

"Unity, we want to let people know that it's not about territory or things, it's about brotherly love,” Ford said.

No one has been arrested for the death of Elijah Cancer.