Alejando Rojas-Garcia's parents have turned their son's shooting death into a plan that will help others.
PHILADELPHIA -- At last, the pain is beginning to pass. In its place, purpose is taking shape.
Leonaldo Rivera, left, is accused of fatally shooting Alejando "Alex" Rojas-Garcia, son of Gloucester County NAACP official Wilfredo "Wil" Rojas, outside a Philadelphia night club in Jan. 2015. "You don't just bury your son and walk away," Aleida Garcia recalled, having said goodbye to 34-year-old Alejando "Alex" Rojas-Garcia after he was gunned down in North Philadelphia during the early morning hours of Jan. 24, 2015.
On Saturday, Garcia and the slain man's father, Gloucester County resident and county NAACP vice president Wilfredo "Wil" Rojas, will stand where their son fell to protest the toll senseless violence takes.
"We're going to lay out a job description," Rojas said, hoping to offer tangible solutions through local government.
Avoiding the regular route of marches and protests, Garica, Rojas and other survivors will call upon Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney to establish the office of families of homicide victims. The group had already communicated with Kenney prior to his election and hopes that if successful, their model would be replicated elsewhere.
"We laid out to him that Philadelphia has a spiraling homicide problem," Garcia said.
There were 280 murders in the city last year, up from 248 in 2014 and 246 the year before.
"They met and discussed the need for better services for victim's families. We're in the process of reviewing the current state of services, so that we can identify specific areas of improvement," Kenney spokeswoman Lauren Hitt said in a statement Tuesday.
Rojas-Garcia, a Temple University student at the time of his death, was leaving an afterhours night club when he was allegedly targeted by a Camden man he may have gotten into an argument. Leonaldo Rivera, who was arraigned in court last April, allegedly shot Rojas-Garcia resident to death while he was behind the wheel of his new SUV.
"This individual decided he was going to play God and take someone's life," said Garcia.
The late man's parents don't focus on the gunman much these days; they're here to help future and current survivors.
Rojas said the office would report to the mayor or the city's managing director. The purpose would be to empower survivors and advocate for them; raise awareness of the effects of homicide; engage communities and help people navigate the criminal justice system.
"It's a public health epidemic," said Garcia, who added that ramifications of life violently taken too soon is between $16 to $17 million when investigations, court and incarceration costs are calculated.
"If we invested $4 million to make the office, if we save one person you're saving $17 million," Garcia said, adding that 200 million people suffering from gunshot wounds go to U.S. hospitals annually.
"We're dealing with domestic terrorism," she said.
Late last week, Philadelphia police made an arrest in connection with the shooting death of 21-year-old Ryan Kelly, who was walking home from a Wawa in Port Richmond early Thanksgiving morning.
Rojas and Garcia managed to get in contact with Kelly's family to offer assistance. Garcia, who hosts the "Loving Legacy" radio show as an outlet for survivors, said she spoke about the case in Spanish while on the air.
"We need to take direct action," said Rojas.
Saturday's one-hour gathering is scheduled for 5 p.m. at 4298 Macalester Street, in the city's Feltonville section. Faith-based organization, local churches, members of the community and more have been invited to attend.
"My son's life was taken very brutally and very cowardly," Garcia said. "You can't just walk away from that."
Greg Adomaitis may be reached at gadomaitis@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregAdomaitis. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.