Queens community mourns death of father fatally shot over the weekend
JAMAICA, Queens (WABC) -- A community came together in Queens Monday night to remember a leader in their neighborhood who was killed on a street corner over the weekend.
His friends raised their candles high Monday night and shouted his name to the rooftops.
Yaw Pabi, a father, brother and mentor to young people in his community, was gunned down in Jamaica, Queens on Saturday night.
It was a staggering loss to all those he loved and served.
"To lose somebody like Yaw ... I'm sorry," Pabi's aunt Jean Martinez said. "I've been crying since it happened."
The 48-year-old was walking along Guy Brewer Boulevard on Saturday night when he was struck by a bullet police believe was fired a block or more away.
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It was aimed at someone else, but Pabi was hit and died.
At a vigil Monday night, his family was braced by the love of a neighborhood that knows well, how important men like Pabi are.
"To be a positive Black man in the community for children and other little Black boys, like he doesn't care if you're children, my brothers love children like they make sure that they're good," sister Tunisia Martinez said.
"He tried to look out for me told me to stay on the right path. And I did," friend Steve Bedall said.
"The community lost a pillar, because he was a champion as far as taking negativity in this area and making it less negative," basketball coach Ron Naclerio said.
They prayed Monday for Pabi and his family, and for the community that was robbed of him -- a community that wonders how it will get by when it loses men like him.
"I don't know why anyone would try to kill Pabi ... he would do anything for anybody," Jean Martinez said.
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