Following fatal shooting, 'Stop the Violence' rally held in Albany

ALBANY, NY (WRGB) — Less than 24 hours after a fatal shooting in Albany, Community leaders, members, and youth rallied Friday for the second annual Stop The Violence Rally.

The rally took place at the corner of Madison ave and Lark st. These organizations, including The Boys and Girls Club, City Leaders, including The Albany Police Departments Chief of Police, and nearly two dozen youths from grade school through community college, participated.

Albany County District Attorney Davis Soares spoke at the rally and talked to CBS 6 news afterward. "It is easier to raise strong children than to repair broken men; what we have right now in our criminal justice system is an over-emphasis on repairing broken men, as opposed to investing in our youth."

MORE: One dead, one injured in Albany shooting

One young man who attended the rally told me the positive impact the programs offered by some of the organizations are having on him "I feel like these programs can relieve your anger and your stress; whatever's going on at home, you can always find somebody to talk to even if it's not at the program, but it's much better than picking up a gun and doing something that is going to ruin your life," says Kendrick, 14.

April Backuss is chair of the Boys and Girls Club she tells me of one program that she believes has a way with the youth. "Our Lyricism 101 program is an opportunity for youth to really speak their truth through music and through words they may not otherwise feel comfortable talking about, but when you put a good beat behind it then they can really get into talking about there experiences and helping others understand what they're going through as well."

Meanwhile, Soares tells me he believes with the youth involvement Friday, The community has an essential component to move things forward. "The people who understand violence more than anyone else are the young people who have to experience and witness it every day, so the first thing that community must understand is the most valuable source we have right now are the young people," says Soares.