Story by: Katie Kyros
Families held a vigil Sunday on West Mason Avenue in York for the two men shot and killed there last month.
Police are still looking for Laquan Pierrelouis, the man wanted for the murders or Derek Feree and Braydon Aldinger. Police say it was drug-related. The family says better mental health services could have saved the two.
“These kids didn’t start out in this kind of situation,” says Feree’s aunt, Tina Rosengrant. “Instead of them reaching out for drugs, and trying to self medicate, maybe they could reach out to the right resources and get the help that they need.”
The family spoke out about high rates of violence in York. According to a recent NeighborhoodScout list, York and Harrisburg are both in the 100 most dangerous cities in the nation. York is 33rd and Harrisburg is 25th.
The families lit candles at the vigil, which started at 6:48 pm, the time of the last text message Aldinger sent. It ended at 7 p.m., when the men were shot.
“We give what we get,” says Feree’s sister, Sarah Kneller. “And I feel like right now everybody just wants to give hatred and violence and just be rough with one another. And that’s not how it should be.”