DENVER — A Colorado mother is mourning the loss of her 18-year-old son, who was killed in a shooting at Russell Square Park on Easter Sunday, as city leaders and neighbors push for increased safety measures.
Pharrow Ware was one of two people shot at the park. His mother, Shy-La Metcalf, told Denver7 she wants her son to be remembered for more than the tragedy that took his life.
"He was more than just a name," Metcalf said. "He wanted better."
Watch: A mother who lost her son and a community concerned about safety are uniting with a common goal
Metcalf said her son was picking out a suit for prom just days before he was shot and killed.
"How do you process that?" Metcalf told Denver7's Veronica Acosta. "How do you process that your son, that you spent 18 years with, that you're picking out his suit for prom, and then the next day that he's fighting for his life."
READ MORE: Denver police: No homicide charges in Russell Square Park fatal double shooting
"I just it's like life is going too fast for me right now, and I'm just trying to slow it down," she added.
The shooting at Russell Square Park was followed by another deadly shooting the same week less than two miles away near Mestizo-Curtis Park. In response, Cole Neighborhood Association President Reed Raskin and Denver City Council member Darrell Watson decided to put on a safety meeting for community members.
READ MORE: Deadly shooting in Denver's Five Points neighborhood leaves one man dead
"The park has been quiet for the last almost two weeks now due to the incident on Easter Sunday," Raskin said. "I think neighbors are at a point right now where they want to be part of the solution."
"I hope we can get closer to at least planning a road map for how we can ensure that everyone has a safe space in this community, families included, but everyone has a safe space and we can go out and enjoy our public spaces," he added.
Watson said his office and the Denver Police Department took action after both shootings by increasing patrols in the areas.
Police identified a suspect in the shooting that killed Ware and 43-year-old Sharon Ware, who were at a family gathering, and made an arrest in the shooting near Mestizo-Curtis Park.
"That violence must end," Watson said.
Rosalie Cisneros, president of the Mestizo-Curtis Park Coalition, has lived near the park for more than two decades and said she planned to attend the meeting to advocate for safety.
"We have to let our voices be heard," Cisneros said.
In the meantime, Metcalf continues to seek justice for her son.
"He didn't deserve this," Metcalf said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.