Michelle Turner Photo
Sunday’s sweltering heat didn’t stop those who cared about Eddie from coming to his surprise party. They unloaded trucks and cars full of soda, meat and other foods, and of course water. They even brought their own coolers.
Over 60 family members and friends in all sat in their lawn and beach chairs under the huge pine tree at Jocelyn Square Park to celebrate the birthday of the city’s 12th homicide victim of the year; another victim of gun violence in New Haven.
“Eddie” was 25-year-old Edmund Jackson. On May 22 he was shot across the street from the park, near Humphrey’s bar at the corners of Humphrey and East streets. He lost his life from a gunshot wound to the chest, as the club crowd poured into the street, shortly after the 2 a.m. closing.
Police say Jackson was sitting in a car when he was shot. They had him transported to a city hospital, where he died. Jackson had recently been released from prison and out on parole. He was described as a good father, uncle and friend.
Raymond Wallace (pictured) said he and four friends put the event together,because he and Eddie’s daughter shared the same birthday. They had originally planned a surprise party for the two of them.
“So a lot of us suggested to put a thing together for the whole community — a unity in the community. Let’s come together and do what we gotta do. Let’s show ‘em we can come together without shooting, beatin’ each other up, drinkin’, all that other stuff, and we can have a good time, black, white, Puerto Rican, Chinese. We got bigger things coming; we gonna bring Elm City back. .. There’s a lot of positive people out here now, people are opening their wallets, giving their times, investing themselves.”
Wallace said they’ll do the party again Labor Day.
“Let’s keep it real. Eddie was no angel,” said Kim Hamilton (pictured) who lives in Hamden and was helping to set up tables. “But it’s up to us the women, to redirect the men. We are the backbone of the community. If we don’t accept what these young men do, if we say, ‘No I don’t like your lifestyle, I can’t accept it,’ then they will think twice.
“A lot of times, these girls become enthralled with the street, and like what these boys do. We have to be the ones to say, ‘Stop the violence, stop the killing.‘Then maybe they [boys] will think twice about what they do.”
Two of Jackson’s family members (pictured) said it was important that people come out to express unity: “We have to show these young folks how its done. I had fights when I was young, but I never killed anybody. People should be willing to show the kids a different way to go.”
Meanwhile, music blared from huge speakers off the back of a truck, as people lined up near a food tent, and the kids ran in and out of a castle “bouncey” (pictured) play space, with their shoes spread out in front of it.
“Hey,” yelled out one man to another, “it’s like an Eastern Circle reunion here.”
