We wish to express our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Bryan Jones, a lifelong resident of W Rockland Street. Bryan was murdered on Friday, August 17, 2012 while sitting on the porch of his family’s W Rockland Street row home. Bryan’s death by gun violence was both tragic, senseless, and premature. His passing is a terrible loss, and he will be greatly missed by many.

By early Saturday morning, four people in Philadelphia had lost their lives to gunfire. Bryan Jones was the 226th person murdered in Philadelphia in 2012. This is an epidemic (see #GunCrisis: Philadelphia).

We can do better, Philadelphia, here on W Rockland Street and across the city.

MEDIA UPDATES:

WHYY’s NewsWorks.org | Aug. 21, 2012 | NewsWorks talks with family, friends, and neighbors

From the article >> “To Helen Jones, who works in a behavioral-consultant capacity with the school district, her brother’s killing serves as further evidence of a lost generation.

The conversation hearkened back to the gang wars of the 1960s, the crack-cocaine epidemic of the 1980s and how today’s African-American males in their teens and early 20s have grown up surrounded by a culture that seemingly devalues life.

They grasped for seemingly impossible answers.

“They’re mad. They think there’s no place for them. They won’t talk about their feelings because they’re told they’re not tough if they do,” she said. “They feel unappreciated, and that hurts.”

Philadelphia Daily News | Aug. 22, 2012 | Cop and 5 others killed over weekend, but just 1 arrest made

From the article >> “In one of those cases, Diane Jones, whose brother, Bryan, 47, was fatally shot Friday night on his porch on Rockland Street near Germantown Avenue, in Germantown, said Tuesday that more could be done in the case. Diane, 54, was in the house when Bryan was shot multiple times by a heavyset man wearing a polo shirt.She said that although homicide detectives came to the house after the slaying and have been in touch by phone, she has not seen them canvassing the neighborhood or following up on leads she said she gave them.”

As of September 5, 2012, no arrests have been made in the murder of Bryan Jones.