A Brooklyn community is once again gathering to demand an end to gun violence after police say a 44-year-old man was shot and killed over the weekend. Residents and loved ones came together in the Prospect Lefferts Gardens neighborhood, the second time this week they have assembled in his honor as grief and anger continue to ripple through the block.
Police say the victim, Emmanuel Spencer, who was known to many as Manny, was shot late Saturday night at 101 Lincoln Road. It happened shortly after the New York Knicks won the NBA championship, at an outdoor watch party where people had gathered to enjoy food and drinks during the celebration.
Investigators say the 44-year-old was shot multiple times in his body. He was rushed to Kings County Hospital just before midnight, where he later died of his injuries, turning a night of celebration in the neighborhood into one of mourning.
The loss has hit especially close to home for those who live nearby. Police say Spencer lived on the very same block, just a few doors down from where he was killed, and many of those gathering at the vigils knew him personally.
In the aftermath, community groups have returned to the scene to send a strong message against gun violence and to remind residents of the support and resources available to them. Organizers urged neighbors to come together and work toward solutions rather than retaliation.
One community advocate stressed that conflict does not have to turn deadly. Every incident does not have to end with violence, the advocate said, pointing to alternatives like connecting and talking through disputes and calling on the community to work together to prevent the next tragedy.
Police say that so far no arrests have been made in the shooting, and the investigation remains active. For now, the people of Prospect Lefferts Gardens continue to mourn one of their own while pressing for an end to the violence that took his life.