One week after the deaths of 3-year-old Randell Jones and 16-year-old Ja'Mari Preston, emotions are still raw in Hartford.
"Last week was devastating, one of the hardest days, hardest weeks of the last five and a half years for me and my heart breaks for the families of those young people," said Mayor Luke Bronin.
Saturday, the organization Mothers United Against Violence hosted its annual march remembering all of the lives lost to violence in the city. This year, it fell just days after the young people were killed.
"You would think the violence would've curbed by now, but unfortunately, it's still happening but that's why we still celebrate the lives that have been lost and to keep sending the message of stop the violence," said Henrietta Beckman, president of Mothers United Against Violence. She knows what it is like to lose a child to gun violence, like many of the mothers who attended the march.
"There's heartache, grief, and pain that you can't describe," she said.
The women have turned those feelings into action though.
"They play a huge role in helping to comfort parents after they've lost their children, loved ones, and also to help to help stop the cycle of retaliation by just appealing to the humanity and the love," said Mayor Bronin.
Love was shown this weekend to the family of the three-year-old shooting victim. A fundraiser was held for the family.
"Everything is going to be to help for the funeral expenses and if we have anything left over for the family for whatever they need they'll have," said Monica Dacosta, a family friend.
The family says they even had people from out of state attend the fundraiser.