JARVIS ST.REMY Tribute

Murder victim remembered
By CHRIS DOUCETTE, TORONTO SUN
Last Updated: December 29, 2010 8:20pm

Jarvis St. Remy would have turned 20 Wednesday if his life hadn’t been cut short by a gunman a 18-months ago.

The slain youth’s loved ones gathered to mark his birthday at the Dundas St. W. bus stop where he was fatally shot May 1, 2009.

“It’s hard,” Clemee Joseph said of marking her dead son’s birthday days after experiencing a second Christmas without her eldest child.

“Jarvis shouldn’t be gone right now,” she said, before urging other youth to put down their guns.

Flanked by her younger son, now 15, other family, friends and crime victim advocate Kemi Omololu-Olunloyo, the grieving mother appealed for people to come forward with tips in her son’s unsolved murder.

“I hope one day we can get that bit of closure that whoever did that can turn themselves in to the police and own up for what they did,” Joseph said.

St. Remy may have been killed in a case of mistaken identity. A young woman who dated him for a year remembers being the last one to talk to him that night.

Janielle Murray said they talked as he waited for his bus at Howland St., a block west of Jane St., after he left a friend’s place.

The phone suddenly went dead and she assumed it was a dropped call.

“But then I got a call from a friend telling me he had been shot,” Murray said, adding she thought it was a joke. “It was literally within seconds.”

She still can’t make sense of St. Remy’s death.

After singing happy birthday together, the friends and family released purple balloons, his favourite colour. Then Joseph revealed bit of happy news.

“I’m pregnant,” she said smiling. “And it’s a boy!”

Joseph believes the new addition to her family — due April 29 — is a gift from her dead son.

Sadly, evidence of yet another recent shooting could be seen just steps away in a nearby plaza.

Bullet holes and smashed glass mark the spot where another youth was shot in the leg Christmas Day.

The wounding happened about 90 minutes before Jordan Hosten, 18 was shot and killed at Jane St. and Woolner Ave.

chris.doucette@sunmedia.ca

Contact Information
"Kemi" Omololu-Olunloyo
(Family Spokesperson)
Monday, April 26th-10
Priority Release



CLEMEE JOSEPH, THE MOTHER OF 2009 TORONTO HOMICIDE VICTIM #16 JARVIS ST.REMY’S OBSERVES THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF HER SON'S DEATH AT HIPHOSSIP MUSIC BLOG'S YOUTH RALLY, NEWS CONFERENCE AND FAMILY MEMORIAL SERVICE WEEKEND.


(Toronto, Canada, 4/26/10) The media’s presence is requested on Friday April 30th at 11.30am-1pm for a 90 minute rally and news conference at the location where Jarvis St Remy’s life was taken to commemorate the one year anniversary of his death. Join his family and friends – a moment of remembrance for a fallen son, brother, nephew and friend. The location is the bus shelter at the intersection of Dundas Street and Howland Streets.

The rally begins at 11.30am with short speeches by two Toronto Rappers Fin-S (Colin Paul) and 2010 Juno nominee U.G.O (Stevano Ugo) who are both known for their stand against guns and youth violence. Fin-S was featured in a Toronto Star article on his stand against guns and growing up in the tough streets of Los Angeles while U.G.O lost a brother in the streets of Washington D.C. A third speaker KJ the Kid Reporter who has spent time volunteering making home made posters for families of crime victims. KJ is a 9-year-old blogger and community activist who will speak about "Prevention of crime in youth as early as his age-- 9."

Constable Scott Mills of Toronto Crime Stoppers will also be present to support Clemee Joseph's family. Mills has been very active in posting all Joseph's news conferences on the Toronto Crime Stopper's website to help with generating tips. Mills has always stood firm on his belief that "Prevention" is the way to start our children in life. He visits schools daily and is the Toronto Police Youth Officer

Jarvis St Remy was an 18-year-old young man waiting for a bus home on the night of April 30th 2009 and was Toronto's 16th homicide victim -- and the third to be gunned down in the city's west end in less than two weeks. He was waiting for this same bus he takes all the time after a night of watching TV at a best friend's apartment on Dundas St. West of Scarlett Rd. Two men reportedly approached him and opened fire. Jarvis died on the way to the hospital.

Keminications PR continues it’s partnership between media, police and the community with our Music Blog HIPHOSSIP fostering partnership with local artists in mentoring our young men and women, also encouraging the public to continue using Crime Stoppers to help solve crimes in Toronto and for our young people to buck the trend and help police in their investigations. The public can view pictures of Jarvis online from childhood to his adult milestone of 18 when he was unfortunately murdered.

Pictures of his funeral and mother's appeal Summer 2009 news conferences can also be viewed at all our tribute sites online in various social networks listed below. reflecting on Jarvis' life and issue pleas for tips daily.

Clemee Joseph has set up a twitter account to tweet updates. A Youtube channel is also coming soon showing videos of all her news conferences and appeals hoping to jog someone's memory out there about the night of May 1st 2009. Anyone with information should please contact Detectives Mike Carbone or Doug Sansom at Toronto Police Homicide 416-808-7400 or remain anonymous by using CrimeStoppers by calling 1-800-222-TIPS or Text: TOR and send your message to CRIMES and punch in 274637 or even send a tip online to http://222tips.com
Location: Behind the Dundas and Howland Street bus stop shelter (Lambton Park)

Date: Friday April 30th 2010 (Rain or Shine)

Time: 11.30am-1pm with Media Q&A
NEXT DAY EVENTS: The media's presence is requested on Saturday May 1, 2010 at 11:00 am for a memorial service to commemorate Jarvis’s death and celebrate the life that was cut short, at 867 College Street, Our lady of Good Consul Church. This is the same church he was buried at. We shall immediately go over to the cemetery where Jarvis was laid to rest for a short graveyard service at Riverside and Sanctuary Park Cemetary at 1567 Royal York road, Etobicoke, ON M9P3C4 Phone # 416-244-9891.

NOTE: ALL MEDIA ARE INVITED TO ALL THE FAMILY'S MEMORIAL AND GRAVESIDE SERVICE AND THERE ARE NO PHOTO/VIDEO RESTRICTIONS. ALL MEDIA ARE WELCOME TO PHOTO/VIDEOGRAPH ANY IMAGES NEEDED FOR NEWSCASTS.


On the Net:
FACEBOOK: Find Jarvis St Remy's killers
FACEBOOK INVITE: Remembrance Weekend for Jarvis
OFFICIAL MEMORIAL SITE: Respectance.com/jarvis
TWITTER: Twitter.com/wemissjarvis

TORONTO -- There were tears, candles, flowers and balloons yesterday for what should have been Jarvis St. Remy's birthday.

Family and friends who braved the chilly weather also sang Happy Birthday at Lambton Park.

St. Remy's absence from what should have been the 19th celebration of his birth was intended to be a sobering reminder of his senseless -- unresolved -- slaying.

"It's been very hard for me and my family," Clemee Joseph told reporters beside the Dundas St. W. bus shelter near Scarlett Rd., where her 18-year-old son was gunned down eight months ago.

"We don't know what happened to my Jarvis ... we have no word," his sobbing mother said of her first-born.

"Even if he isn't here, we want to celebrate his birthday," she said.

Due to graduate high school, then start college, the aspiring engineer was leaving his best friend's home after watching TV when he was shot around 10:45 p.m. on May 1. Two men were seen fleeing, but police say the trail remains cold.

Const. Scott Mills, Toronto Crime Stoppers community youth officer, attended the vigil and set out cards on a table with all the agency's contact numbers.

"I just want anybody who knows anything about who murdered Jarvis, can you please call Crime Stoppers and do the right thing," Joseph said.

"We don't have any idea of who would do this ... we don't understand," family friend Natasha Browne said. "It's a mystery, but we really hope justice can be done."

Desrie Felicen called St. Remy "a great guy, always a quiet, presentable young man, never a troublemaker or needing to be the centre of attention."

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7400 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477) or 222tips.com.

IAN.ROBERTSON@SUNMEDIA.CA

STORY ARCHIVES

CTV

Inside Toronto

Ottawa Sun

Toronto Sun

They came to cry for their children, their siblings.

But they also shed a tear for the city while pleading for witnesses to come forward.

About 30 people came to remember Adrian Johnston's 15th birthday at the Scarlett Rd. hydro field north of St. Clair Ave. yesterday.

It was the spot where he was shot dead May 11.

His mother, Stephanie, managed to hold back tears as she spoke publicly for the first time about her son.

Joining her was Clemee Joseph, who came to mark the third month after her son's murder. Jarvis St. Remy, 18, was shot dead May 1 at a nearby Dundas St. bus stop.

Also at the memorial was Prince Young, a rising musician whose only brother, Junior Appiah, 18, was shot dead last Sept. 16 at a basketball court at a Jane St. apartment building, north of Finch Ave.

"My son was viciously murdered on May 11, the day right after Mother's Day, here in this hydro field behind me," Johnston said.

"Adrian would have been 15 (yesterday), but instead of celebrating his birthday, we're mourning his death.

"The sick individual who took Adrian from us is still walking the streets," she said.

"Adrian is not able to do that."

Johnston, who moved to Welland after the murder, said there are people who know who killed her son, and she urged them to call police, because "nobody is coming forward yet.

"If we continuously stay quiet and keep what we know to ourselves, we're enabling these murderers," Johnston said.

"What will happen this September when TAVIS is gone?"

The murders of her son, St. Remy and others in the area sparked a rapid response by Toronto Police with its Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy into 12 Division.

The boost in numbers ends on Labour Day.

"Let's take back our communities and make it safer for our children," Johnston said.

A $750 scholarship in his name was launched at Runnymede Collegiate. Details are available at adrianjohnstonmemorial.com.

"He was a really good kid," she said.

"Always laughing, always smiling."

"If people were fighting, he would turn it into a big joke."

She said she was upset about reports Adrian was a gang member, "because he wasn't.

"Adrian went to two places: The library and his best friend's house," Johnston said.

"He was a 14-year-old kid. What did he do to deserve this?"

Young called the killing of his brother senseless and is calling for people who know anything to call police.

"Everybody is losing their sons and mothers are crying," he said.

Young said it's time to give up the street rule of not talking to police.

Joseph, meanwhile, pleaded for the fourth time since her son was killed, and she said it doesn't get easier with time.

A mother, she said, shouldn't bury her child.

"One mother's pain is every mother's pain," Joseph said.

Anyone with information about any murder is asked to call Toronto Police homicide at 416-808-7400 or Crime Stoppers at 416-222-8477.

ROB.LAMBERTI@SUNMEDIA.CA

Bloor West Villager: Murdered teen's mom makes emotional plea.

Toronto Sun: Video of Press Conference.

Toronto Star: Grieving Mom breaks silence.

CityNews.ca: Mother of 14-year-old murder victim makes emotional appeal (with video).

Clemee Joseph, whose 18-year-old son Jarvis St. Remy (pictured above) was murdered at a Dundas Street West bus stop last month, went yesterday to the spot where he died to make a public plea. Following is an edited excerpt of her remarks:

The last time I saw Jarvis was at bedtime Thursday, April 30, and everyone had left early for school and work that fateful day. The last time I spoke to him was on the phone from this bus stop at 10:39 p.m. on his way home that I would see him shortly. He never made it home.

On behalf of my late son Jarvis, my family and my only other son Kasim, I begin a monthly appeal at this bus stop throughout the summer months when our teens are out of school to urge Torontonians to turn Jarvis’s killers in, and to address our teenagers to stop the gun violence. I am also appealing to all parents and citizens to support Mayor Miller’s ban on handguns.

Parents: Talk to your children about the dangers of guns and those with friends who carry them. Guns hurt all of us. We are all shot when another citizen is gunned down.

In 12 days, we mark a year of another senseless shooting downtown of two fine young men cut down in the prime of their lives. Dylan Ellis and Martin Oliver were shot and killed June 13, 2009. When will it stop? When?

Finally I want you to call the investigators Mike Carbone and Doug Sansom if you know anything about my son’s killing. But if you don’t want to be a “snitch,” as they call it, stay anonymous and call Toronto CrimeStoppers. Do the right thing. Many of us overlook this system.

I am appealing to all all our young men in Toronto to please put the guns down.

Since Jarvis’s death, a 14-year-old was gunned down a block away from here, a 5- year-old was shot in the chest, a 13-year-old was caught with a loaded gun and another 17-year-old was shot yesterday in Etobicoke.

Thank you and see you next month.

Source: National Post

Put the guns down: Toronto Sun

CTV Video and story

St Lucia Star

Shortly after the casket carrying murdered teen Jarvis St. Remy was taken away today, his stepfather stood in the church parking lot with a sombre expression, wondering why.

“There’s no answer,” said Linton Bigby. “We don’t know why this happened. We want to find out why this happened.

“We just want the people who did this to understand they took away a loved one. We want them to turn themselves in (to police), so we can get closure to this.”

Two men fled the bus stop on Dundas St. W. near Scarlett Rd. on May 1, leaving the teen dying in a pool of blood around 10:45 p.m.

The aspiring engineer had a midnight curfew and was leaving his best friend’s home after an evening of watching television.

“We’re not going to get closure on this until they surrender themselves to the police,” Bigby said. “We don’t hate them or anything, we just want to know the reason why.

“What (could) Jarvis have done to them to do something like this to him?” Bigby said. “He was a good kid, man.”

About 200 people followed the casket carrying St. Remy into the storefront Our Lady of Good Counsel Caribbean Catholic Church on College St., west of Ossington Ave.

Mass included songs, a poem reading and a saxophone solo before the casket was brought out for interment at the Sanctuary Park Cemetery on Royal York Rd.

“He was a great guy,” said Taavo Nisbet, 18, a fellow Grade 12 school mate at Western Tech.

“To shoot somebody, I can’t understand why people resort to violence.”

Nisbet said people should work out their differences with words.

“You don’t pull out a gun and shoot someone, especially at someone at that young age,” he said. “We’re just about to graduate.”

Joanna Wilson, 39, thought of St. Remy as her second son. He was with her son Courtney the night of the shooting, she said.

The two boys, who became friends five years ago, usually got together to watch television and play video games, she said.

“They never went out to parties,” Wilson said.

“Jarvis left as usual as he does every night,” she said. “My son was on his way to bed and we heard a bang.”

Wilson said she looked off the balcony and saw Jarvis lying on the ground.

She rushed out and found him “in a pool of blood.”

“It’s hard,” Wilson said outside the church. “Devastating.”

rob.lamberti@sunmedia.ca

Family Spokesperson: Tell Police what you know!! (Toronto Sun)