A MAN FOUND SHOT DEAD IN HOME BRINGS COMMUNITY TO TEARS - FOX 42: Omaha News, Sports and Weather; kptm.com |

Franque Thompson

OMAHA (KPTM)- An entire community gathers to mourn the loss of a beloved father and brother.

"Step up for my brother's life.  Speak up for my brother's life, they killed my brother," said Moss' older sister Barbara Robinson.

She said those were some of the hardest words she has ever had to say.  She found her little brother, 37-year-old James Moss, dead inside a house at 1826 Manderson Street Friday afternoon.  She says it's a tragedy her community sees too often.

"Any time a young kids life is took, it's close to my home," said Robinson.

And it's a generational curse she's working diligently to break.

"Our mother died at the age of 36, our mother died of a drug overdose.  And my brother died at the age of 37.  And it's a call on me to make sure that the children in my family live longer past their thirties," said Robinson.

Overcoming a battle with drugs and gang affiliation herself, Robinson created Impact One, an organization to help gang members find a new start in life, so that they're loved ones won't feel the same pain she's having.

"When there's a chance to give a young gang member a job, when there's a chance to give a young gang member help, we need to do that.  We need to start getting back to being a village and being responsible for one another," said Robinson.

"We can get to the same place as far as a solution without going to violence and that's the message that we as a community have to send to each other.  And it's time out, we can't wait any longer," said President of Empowerment Network, Omaha 360, Willie Barney.

The one thing community leaders say what's lacking in the neighborhoods is communication.  They say if neighbors reach out to one another a little bit more, incidents like Moss' death will one day stop.

"There are people that know what's going on and they know before something happens and their the ones that can influence the situation more so than anybody else," said Barney.

"This is our community.  We have to take it back.  It brings people together always in a tragedy and we need to stand together in a fight against violence," said Moss' sister-in-law, Jonnell Brewer.

Police say they're unsure exactly how the incident happened.  The shooting is still under investigation.

Family members will be accepting donations at Kramer funeral home.