GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Grand Rapids community came together Saturday evening for a peace vigil honoring the victims of recent violence in the Burton Heights Neighborhood.
The Grand Rapids Police Department continues to investigate three homicides that happened Monday.
That morning, officers found 20-year-old Anayia Rodriguez on Melville Street SE near Francis Avenue SE and 19-year-old Malik Eubanks on Horton Avenue SE near Melville Street SE.
Both had been shot to death and both had been left lying in the street.
Later that afternoon, police found 32-year-old Darryl Yarber who had been shot to death on Horton.
READ MORE: 3 victims ID’d in complex Burton Heights murder investigation
The Garfield Park Neighborhoods Association held the vigil Saturday in an effort counter violence with peace.
The association said, “we will surround the neighbors directly impacted by the recent homicides and stand in solidarity with everyone in the community who has suffered loss or violence.”
The vigil, which was held on Horton Ave., included opening remarks, a candle lighting, a moment of silence and an updated from GRPD Chief Winstrom.
“I wish that I could tell you specifics because the detectives have been doing tremendous work. We’ve been meeting on a regular basis. We have a lot of resources assigned to this. There’s just only so many facts that I can make public. So, one of the things I did say is we’ve already executed over ten search warrants related to this. We’re gonna keep it up. I’ll tell you I’m confident. I’m confident in our detectives and I’m confident that we’re gonna find justice for these family members,” Chief Winstrom said.
GRPD plans to have an enhanced police presence in the neighborhood for the foreseeable future.
“You’ll probably still see enhanced patrols here for the, for the near future. This neighborhood is known for what you saw [Saturday night]. It’s good people that care about the neighborhood. We don’t really see the levels of spikes and violence as there are other places in the region, so the foundation in this neighborhood is so strong and we just want to let them know that we’re out here. We’re here to support them. We’re not going to tolerate this. We know that they are absolutely not okay with what happened here— any stretch of the imagination, that will never be normal in this neighborhood,” Chief Winstrom explained.
“These neighbors are doing the work. They are doing the work. They’re coming out of their houses. They are, they are heeding the call to community. And if we all did that— if we all stepped out of our houses and just, first, got to know our neighbors and just let that grow, we’d go a long way in solving the problems that we’re seeing here on the southeast side,” Garfield Park Neighborhoods Association Executive Director Katy Hoffman added.
When it comes to the investigation into these homicides, police encourage anyone with information to reach out to GRPD’s detective unit at 616-456-3380 or submit tips anonymously to Silent Observer at 616-774-2345.
