Father of Evansville shooting victim hopes vigil is beginning of the end

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Two dozen people stood in a circle, hand in hand, praying together for an end to gun violence in the city.

A vigil held Sunday night at the Four Freedoms Monument was organized by Kareem Strother. His daughter Mariah Strother was killed in a double homicide at a gas station in the early morning hours of May 30. 

Kareem created the group Fathers Against Violence after his daughter's death dedicated to putting an end to the killings.

This was the first of what he hopes to be many bi-weekly vigils. He even joked that he'll bring a grill and some ribs in hopes of a higher turnout at the next one.

"None of these young kids deserve to be in the ground right now," Kareem told the crowd. "You got people out here who want to see change. This is the first step."

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Family and friends of Mariah wore T-shirts with her pictures emblazoned on them. Some had posters in remembrance of her and the other recent victims of gun violence.

Samantha Moorman, one of her friends, pleaded for justice as she led the group in prayer.

"I pray that you bring something to the light," she said. "God, I pray that we no longer have any cold cases."

"I'm also praying, God, that you touch the hearts in the city...the hearts of the people pulling the trigger," she continued. "Give them a heart of compassion."

Many in attendance were friends or family of Mariah. Kareem remains dedicated to solving her killing. He said a community-fundraised reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in connection with her death has risen to $20,000.

But he was clear that his crusade is on behalf of all victims of gun violence. Loved ones of other victims of gun violence, including Larry Meriweather Jr. and Antonio Bushrod Jr., also attended the vigil.

Meriweather, a star football player during his days at North High School, was fatally shot at a house party toward the end of May. His shooting death is among the sixth this year, including Mariah's, that remain unsolved.

Bushrod was also fatally shot at a house party. He died in October of last year. A jury convicted his killer of murder, and she was sentenced to 55 years in prison.

Sunday's vigil took place one day after the "Stop the Violence March for Change" where around 50 people took to the streets with the same goal in mind.

The march and vigil come amid a spike in violent deaths in Evansville this summer. Ten of the city's 12 homicide victims this year have been killed since the end of May.

The most recent victim was killed Sunday night as vigil goers gathered along the riverfront.

Sixteen-year-old Rylan Conway was shot in the stomach around 7:30 p.m. at a house in the 1100 block of Powell Avenue and later died at a local hospital.

A 19-year-old man was charged with reckless homicide in connection to the juvenile's death, which the suspect told police wasn't intentional.