Gang Violence in Worcester Continues to Disturb Family and Friends

Within the past four years, violence has grown tremendously in Worcester, Massachusetts. Since 2015, the city is going on their fifth homicide which relates to the amount of gang violence that has been expanding for years now.

Families and close friends of victims in gangs are currently trying to retaliate due to the recent “gang war” activities that are impacting the city of Worcester. It is unsafe for children to step out of their homes on certain streets at any given time because gang members don’t care what time of day it is. If they see anyone that is not from their block, they will react with violence, no matter the age.

Two men that were apart of two different gangs have lost their lives due to gang violence from targeting each other at various times throughout the entire city. It has not only made a big impact on their families, but has also caused friends who are not involved in gangs to lose their lives as well.

The first gang related incident was in December 2011 when twenty-year-old Javier “Harvey” Santiago was murdered in a street fight downtown outside of City Hall. Police say Harvey was a member of “Prov. Street” gang which is located around 60 Providence Street where most of the gang members resided.

Outside of city hall around 2:30 p.m. were some of the Prov. Street members when they spotted another gang across the street. “Kilby” gang, which members are located off of Main Street (approximately 15 minutes away from Providence Street), ran across towards each other and started a brawl. As they were all fighting, one of the Kilby members secretly took out his gun and shot Harvey in his upper torso.

What makes matter worse was that his first child was born three days before his death. The irony of leaving a new born baby without a father to raise him because of the violence going on in Worcester. “If you see his son now, he looks just like Harvey. And it’s sad because he was ready to change his life for his son and start over. He was gone too soon man.” Family friend Veronica Yanes-Perez who also lives in the 60 Providence Street apartments.

“My brother and Harvey were best friends since middle school. Now that his life was taken away, we will never forget nor forgive the pigs that did this! Their day still awaits. I can’t tell you what will happen because I don’t know, I just know Prov. still won’t let them get away with this. ” But that doesn’t end there for Harvey’s soul to rest in peace.

In relation to Harvey’s death, on June 26th 2015, a long term friend of his by the name of David Luyando was shot and killed while visiting Harvey’s grave. Luyando and his family heard prior to visiting that Harvey’s tombstone was stolen and had disappeared at Hope Cemetery.

As soon as they arrived to his grave, a vehicle sped by and started firing at the scene, shooting Luyando with a head wound, almost dying instantly. His death is one of the biggest tragedies because he was an innocent man who was not a part of any gangs and only wanted to visit his friend at the cemetery.

Another disturbing incident due to gang violence was affected by 18-year-old Robert Walker who died after a fight at a party that was held at the Crestwood Arms Apartment Complex on Bailey Street. Walker was known to be a member of the Kilby gang, but was trying to reevaluate his life.

He had graduated high school and was entering his freshman year at Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester. In late September 2013, Walker and friends went to a party where they found rivals of another gang at the scene.

Walker and others gathered outside to fight when one of his rivals hit Walker on the head with a bottle and then stabbed him in his buttocks. As Walker tried fleeing the party, he had an asthma attack and was found unconscious by friends nearby Bailey Street.

“They took away my best friend! The crazy thing is that this whole Gang beef going on will never end. It won’t end until all of them are either dead or in jail.” Close friend Tasha Gaye stated.

“Rob was a good kid, had a good heart and the biggest smile, even if he had braces.” She chuckled. “He never had the mind set to hurt anybody. But just cause he didn’t doesn’t mean the rest of them did. That’s why he’s not with us today. They have the intentions to kill. ”

Families and friends are still hurt years later and have yet to want to spread peace. Children are told to stop playing outside after 5p.m.

There are less house parties then before due to street fights. Now people can’t even play basketball on the courts if they wanted to because they are afraid that gang members are going to drive past and shoot them.

It is unfortunate that these two gang members have lost their lives so soon when they both had potential to stay out of gang violence. Both Harvey and Walker have songs that were made by their friends and families to prove their sides of the story found on YouTube. Robert Walker has a memorial next to the basketball courts on Crystal Lake.

However, in early 2012, friends and family made a memorial on the side wall of a corner store on Providence Street but was shortly painted over because of the owner.

Memorials and songs can’t take away the pain that the people of Worcester still live with today to protect themselves.