Zah'nia Barr was 14 when someone fired into a late-night crowd gathered on North Clinton Avenue Aug. 1, killing the teenager with a single bullet. The next night, 35-year-old Shakara Green was killed in another drive-by shooting into a crowd on Clifford Avenue.
Police don't believe either was the intended target.
The twin shootings have brought renewed focus on a late night ban of public gatherings. Mayor Malik Evans has called a trend of impromptu street parties this summer a recipe for violence. Others say they reflect an urban tradition to gather in front of barbershops and corner stores when there is no where else to go.
Barr's father, Chazeman Allen, said the grief of losing his daughter is not something he would wish "on my worst enemy."
"It's just sad that kids can't come outside and play without knowing that something could happen to them," he said at a balloon release for the girl Aug. 6. "When I grew up, all we had to worry about is getting into a fight ... We didn't have to worry about people coming back shooting up your house or stabbing you or just shooting you. The world is different now."
— Kayla Canne covers community safety for the Democrat and Chronicle with a focus on immigration, police accountability, government surveillance and how people are impacted by violence. Follow her on Instagram @bykaylacanne. Get in touch at kcanne@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Hear Zah'nia Barr's father reflect on loss and violence
