Teen Anti-Violence Activist Killed In Newark Shooting; Others Fight To Spread His Message
NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A teen who fought for safer streets has become one of its latest casualties in a shooting in Newark late last month.
As CBS2's Meg Baker reported, community leaders hoped the boy's message would gain new life as police searched for his killer.
Kyzeir Baker was wise beyond his years – just 16 years old. He was a mentor in his community, and his life was taken away far too soon.
" I got the pleasure of meeting Kyzeir, --great dude -- he was really involved in making sure that the kids understood they have options in life and don't make mistakes, and unfortunately, we have a situation where now, he's not here anymore due to the violence he talked about," said Al-Tariq W. Best, founder and chief executive of the organization M.E.N.T.O.R.
Authorities said Baker was shot and killed while walking down the 100 block of Spruce Street in Newark on Jan. 22. Best, who was his youth leader, walked the block with CBS2 – still shocked by the senseless violence.
"Just to know that another one of our youth was taken away so early -- and especially a young black male that had so much potential," Best said.
Just months before his own death, Baker spoke out in a video against senseless violence. Lending advice to other mentors, he also told younger generations how to be better – and that there is life beyond Newark.
"They gave me knowledge, and I took that knowledge and turned myself around, because they believed in me and made me confident," Baker said in the video. "It made me believe that I could be something."
Best runs the H.U.B.B. organization, which Baker was part of. The initials stand for "Help Us Become Better," and the main purpose of the organization is to get kids off the streets and away from gang violence.
"He was one of the ones that had enough courage to stand up and really talk about the issues," Best said.
Danielle Williams of H.U.B.B. grew up in Newark, and she knows how tough it can be to survive. But she said Baker knew how to empower Newark's youth in a positive way.
"I try to ask: 'What's going on? How are you? You can trust me. You can tell me what's going on in your life,'" Williams said. "You know, 'I'm not here to judge; I've been there.'"
Baker wanted to create a new story for Newark.
"Go out there. Be a lawyer, a doctor, a basketball player – whatever you want to be," he advised younger Newark residents in the video.
Baker used to walk from Spruce Street, where he was gunned down, to Prince Street – a street once considered one of the most dangerous in Newark. Prince Street has been slowly transitioning thanks to work by the H.U.B.B. organization.
