Grieving parents urge action on violence

The parents of an 18-year-old shot to death last month in Brentwood called on their community Saturday to stop a spate of violence before tragedy strikes again.

Andrew Jones was shot May 25 in his own backyard -- the fourth person to be killed so far this year in Brentwood and Central Islip.

"I'm crying every day," Jones' mother, Angela Saracino, said at a community meeting at the Brentwood library called to discuss the killings.

"He's gone forever," she said. "He will not be getting married. I will not have grandchildren from him. I will not be able to yell at him. I will not be able to hug him."

Saracino said she heard her son had been threatened at Brentwood High School before the shooting. Schools should do more to investigate when threats are made, she said, adding: "Our kids are afraid."

Brentwood schools superintendent Joseph Bond, reached at home, declined to comment.

Stanley Jones, 46, said he's still grieving the loss of his son, "taking it one day at a time."

He said he met with police officials who told him Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy and Suffolk police plan to add 13 officers to the Third Precinct, which covers Brentwood and Central Islip.

Jones urged community members to be vigilant about fighting crime.

"We could all be victims," he said. "Be aware of the car that drives by a couple of times with the windows rolled down. You have to trust your gut."

Third Precinct Police Insp. Jan Rios said violent crime in the communities has dropped since police increased their visibility in response to community concerns raised last summer.

But he said Andrew Jones' death "blows all the stats out of the water." The slaying is under investigation and there have been no arrests.

Charles Ross, a community policing officer, said 48 new block watches have sprung up in the last year in the Brentwood-Central Islip-Bay Shore area.

"People are sick of it," he said of the violence.

Saturday's community meeting, organized by Brentwood Residents Against Violence Everywhere, drew about 50 residents.