Community Run Remembers Northern Liberties Murder Victim
By Steve Patterson
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – A young woman's murder earlier this year in Philadelphia remains unsolved to this day, but one community is making sure the victim is never forgotten.
It's been 10 months since the murder of Amber Long. The 26-year-old architect -- just walking with her mom – was purse snatched and shot on a side street in Northern Liberties.
"She was a wonderful person. She was the kind of person we cannot afford to lose," says Stephanie Long, the victim's mother.
On Saturday, a run inspired by Amber's death -- created by people fed up with violent crime against women -- aimed to increase the reward for an arrest:
"What's to say that this guy isn't out there still doing it?" asks Stephanie. "It is so so important that he be caught."
Amber was shot on the 900 block of Front Street at point-blank range - just feet away from her mother. Her mother would end up holding Amber until she died. Organizers say they wanted to start the race at that location, but Stephanie said that was just too much.
Instead, men and women from all backgrounds gathered for a 5K on another city side street in honor of the mother who will never stop fighting and her daughter who will never stop inspiring.
"Amber would never understand if I just collapsed in grief," Stephanie said. "That was not her. If it had been me out there on the pavement - she'd be out there doing this."
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