‘The full community behind us’: Rally celebrates Rochester boy’s recovery after being shot

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — One year after being caught in crossfire of a shooting on North Clinton and Clifford avenues, 4-year-old Marlo Joseph celebrated his full recovery with family and community leaders at International Plaza in Rochester on Thursday.

Marlo was sitting in his car seat when he was shot in the head.

At Thursday’s rally, Mayor Malik Evans declared Sept. 28, 2003 to be Marlo Joseph Day.

Joseph’s cousin Brittany Rumph said that family and community are what sustained her though the unthinkable.

“Families always pull together but then to have the full community behind us and behind Marlo, it just, it really helped us out,” Rumph said.

Untapped Ministries organized the rally for Marlo at International Plaza, which was attended by Mayor Malik Evans. The mayor said that he is happy those responsible for the shooting are being held accountable.

“Yesterday the individual who did it was brought to justice. and the fact that we are able to be out here and celebrate his life and his recovery is extremely meaningful to the community,” Evans said.

Two people were charged in the shooting. Travis Lewis, 35, pleaded guilty Wednesday and is headed to prison for 27 years for the assault on Marlo and a murder weeks earlier. Justin Rhynes, 17, will be sentenced in October and is facing five years in prison.