San Bernardino man killed is remembered as caretaker of community

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San Bernardino man killed is remembered as caretaker of community

By: Beatriz Valenzuela (bvalenzuela@scng.com)
POSTED: Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2016 - 8:34 p.m. 
UPDATED: TODAY 


SAN BERNARDINO >> For decades, the Westside had two staunch defenders in longtime friends Tyrone Jones and John Henry Griffin.
The men, who had known each other since the late 1960s - and at one point had been affiliated with the Black Panther Party in the early 1970s - founded the Westside Nubians, a grassroots kind of neighborhood watch that helped steer children away from a life of gangs and drugs. The group attempted to calm violence as well as tension between residents and law enforcement.
The friends worked tirelessly to keep the Delman Heights Community Center open so children would have a safe place in a neighborhood which has seen its share of violence throughout the years, San Bernardino City Councilwoman Bessine L. Richard said Tuesday. 
In October 2013, the residents of the Westside neighborhood lost a defender when Jones, 57, was shot in the back of the head and killed in the Little Zion Manor apartments, at 2000 Jubilee Ct., near 19th and California streets.
Griffin, carrying on the legacy and wishes of his friend, continued with the Westside Nubians, attending city council meetings and fighting for his Westside neighbors. 

His candor and passion caught the eye of Richard who earlier this year appointed Griffin, 69, to the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department.
"He said, 'Girl, I'm ready,'" recalled Richard. "He knew the residents, they needed the park, they needed a place to go and a safe haven. Being on the board was a way he could see that the Delman Heights Community Center stayed open and remained a safe haven for the kids in his neighborhood." 
Then on Nov. 9, many residents and friends learned that Griffin had been killed in his home in the 1800 block of Darby Street. Reports indicate he was shot in the back of the head. 
"They were on the front lines of our community," said former Councilman Rikke Van Johnson. "They were trying to do all they could to keep harm away from the community. (Griffin) and his friend, Tyrone, were caretakers of the community."
Johnson remembers Griffin at various city meetings asking for funding for the community center and park. He also recalled how Griffin and Jones both rallied residents to participate to clean-ups and neighborhood improvements.
"This was a great, great loss to the community," said Richard. "Especially the Westside. He was someone who protected it."
Although San Bernardino police investigators made an arrest in his slaying, many questions linger, especially why.
"Did they know who he was to this community," asked Richard. "This is a devastating loss."

http://www.sbsun.com/general-news/20161115/san-bernardino-man-killed-is-remembered-as-caretaker-of-community

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The shit that happens in San Bernardino is off the charts...