Schenectady residents rally in wake of shooting

Tony Simmons says 18-year-old Kusaan Tolliver, who was shot and killed in Schenectady on Monday, was “mad cool.”

“Me and him, when I was a little kid, we used to chill,” Simmons said standing by Tolliver’s memorial on Schenectady Street. “I knew his whole family and he knew my whole family.”

More than 50 people attended a stop-the-violence rally Friday evening in the wake of Tolliver’s death. Another male was shot on Schenectady Street last week and survived. No arrests have been made in either incident.

Schenectady residents marched from the corner of Schenectady and Strong streets to Jerry Burrell Park singing “young people don’t give up” and chanting “stop the violence.”

Simmons, of Albany, said he attended the rally to support his friend. He said he doesn’t understand why someone would kill Tolliver.

“This disappoints me because he was like my best friend and I wouldn’t think someone would kill him over something stupid,” he said. “That’s why I’m out here — to show him my love.”

Tolliver was shot in the upper body near 528 Schenectady St. around 10 p.m. Monday. He was transported to Ellis Hospital, where he died.

On Friday, Tolliver’s friends and family stood near his memorial, which includes about 30 candles, three flower bouquets and a wooden cross.

Police Chief Brian Kilcullen, who attended the rally with several other officers, said the community’s lack of trust in police makes it difficult to make an arrest in cases like Tolliver’s.

“The people who are not willing to talk to us were probably brought up through that type of culture where you just don’t talk to police, and that’s passed from generation to generation,” he said. “We’re trying to develop relationships so that lack of trust goes away.”

Kilcullen said the police department is working to build relationships with city residents by getting involved in the community. He pointed to the Community Police Basketball League as an example.

About 10 officers, including Kilcullen, play basketball at Jerry Burrell Park with kids in the Hamilton Hill neighborhood for four weeks during the summer.

“It’s called the Community Police Basketball League but at some point I want it to be the Community Basketball League,” he said. “The police are part of the community and we are not making that distinction.”

Marva Isaacs, president of the Hamilton Hill Neighborhood Association, organized the rally with members of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Isaacs said she did so because she’s fed up.

“There are too many young people dying,” she said. “Two years ago, my grandson was killed in Schenectady and I have had enough of it.”

Isaacs said she would like to see the police department boost its presence in the neighborhood as violent crimes continue.

Tolliver’s killing is the fourth homicide in Schenectady this year. All four occurred in Hamilton Hill.

“We need police and the mayor to help us because we need more patrols out there,” Isaacs said. “We need more police out here because we don’t have enough. I know there is a shortage of the budget, but people are dying.”

Aisha Persha, the mother of Lasean Gause, 19, who was shot and killed on June 29 near the Zaid Food Market on Albany Street, spoke to the crowd during the rally with tears in her eyes.

Police said they don’t believe Gause was the intended target of the shooting. Three people were arrested on murder charges in connection with his death.

“My son got shot by mistake,” she said. “When we walk around without him it hurts so bad. Let’s please stop the violence.”

Mayor Gary McCarthy said the incidents are not random acts of violence, and that police are focusing on cracking down on drugs and guns.

“These are very small groups of people who are engaged in the proliferation of gun use and the result is these tragic situations where we end up with young people with a full life ahead of them who are dead,” he said.

Like Kilcullen, McCarthy said the city has to come together as one community. He is encouraging people with tips related to a crime to call 788-6566.

“We’re not going to change it overnight, but we want people to trust the police,” he said. “The police need that information and the residents want that stability and security, but you have to work together to get that.”

McCarthy was one of many local politicians who attended the rally on Friday. Also in attendance were council members Peggy King, John Mootooveren, Leesa Perazzo, Marion Porterfield and Vince Riggi.

Political hopefuls Roger Hull, the Alliance Party founder who is challenging McCarthy for mayor, and Conservative council candidate Tom Verret were also at the rally. Democratic council candidate John Polimeni was also in attendance.

Hull, the former Union College president, said there is crime citywide that needs to be addressed more aggressively.

“It’s a cancer and when you have a cancer you cut it out,” he said. “I think the current administration is certainly trying, but the results speak for themselves. It’s about taking back the Hill, and also taking back the city.”

As community leaders, local residents and pastors spoke toward the end of the rally, children screamed with excitement as they swung from swings in Jerry Burrell Park nearby.

Cliqujion Rock of Schenectady stood toward the back of the crowd as the rally’s attendees dispersed and the children’s laughter could be heard more loudly.

“We were best friends,” he said of Tolliver. “He was a good person; he was fun.”

Rock said Tolliver liked to dance, sing and play basketball.

“He was a good kid,” he said. “The rally is a start, but there has to be more stuff happening to see change.”

Categories: News, Schenectady County