BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The victim of Sunday's deadly shooting near Canalside is being remembered as a "builder with a bright future."
Members of the Service Collaborative of Western New York said Maurice Green died Sunday night.
Buffalo Police said the shooting happened as people were at a drag race near, Marine Drive.
Green was a member of Youth Build, from 2018 to 2019.
The service collaborative said the program helped him earn his diploma, and wanted to start a construction company.
Buffalo Police are still investigating.
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Last night police said they found a vehicle and a loaded gun. Police believe these were involved in the shooting, but have not made an arrest.
Western New York YouthBuild program manager, Robin Barker said, "I cried all night last night. This one is hard. These guys were like our nephews I would say. Like our sons."
Dismay and devastation looms over friends and mentors of a beloved, young community leader who was gunned down, while his childhood friend was shot.
"This kid was one of the models that we're talking about in our programs. How can we put a kid in the program and then always talk about violence, violence, violence. We had a solution. He was going in that direction," Stop the Violence Coalitionexecutive director, Murray Holman said. "Life cut short. We still have to continue to do the work."
The shooting happened on a quiet Sunday night, as people were at a drag race near, Marine Drive; a place where family usually go to take a stroll with their young kids.
"It's supposed to be family. It's not the wrong time. It's just that person that wants to come and raise havoc through not just Buffalo but through national. These people are just coming because they don't like somebody doing something that's just great," Holman added.
"To know the spirit that Maurice had. When I say he was a good kid, he was never disrespectful in our program," Barker shared, holding back tears. "The most that we did was laugh and create and learn, so this one is hard."
Katya Kroll-Haeick said 23-year-old Maurice Green graduated from the YouthBuild program, where he learned construction, in the hopes of starting a business with he longtime friend.
Service collaborative of Western New York director of youth programming, Katya Kroll-Haeick said, "They had a plan since they were little boys to start a construction company, and they were on their way. They had reconnected with our program. We were putting them on the right path to entrepreneurship."
Green had a plan, and the world was at his fingertips but will never be able to pursue what he sought out to do.
"This is a tragic loss for this community. He was wonderful spirit. A kind and gentle soul. He touched all of our lives in a profound way and everybody that he came across," Service Collaborative of Western New York Youth and Workforce development, Bryan Lawrence said.
Maurice's 22-year-old friend, Erik Eaglin is still in the hospital, as of Tuesday night. He was listed in serious condition.
