'I'm just devastated': More than 100 turn out to honor Parks and Rec employee shot and killed

PHILADELPHIA - Members of the community gathered Saturday in West Philadelphia to remember a Parks and Rec employee who was shot and killed Friday.

Tiffany Fletcher was preparing for students to arrive after school when she was caught in the crossfire during a shootout between two groups.

More than 100 people came out to pay tribute to a woman her mother calls a beautiful daughter, sister and mom of three boys and, once again, beg for the gun violence in Philadelphia to stop.

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"It’s like she’s here. She’s not here, but we can feel her spirit here with us," Fletcher’s cousin Elaine Johnson said.

Tiffany Fletcher (Family photo)

Johnson cannot believe Tiffany is really gone. The 41-year-old was shot and killed Friday about 1:30 in the afternoon, while on her break at the Mill Creek rec center, after police say two groups of teens started firing. Tiffany was caught in the middle.

"All I ask is for people to put these guns down. Just put them down," Johnson said.

"I’m just hurt. I’m just devastated. She was a good person. A good soul. I mean, she was on her break, just hanging in the park. It was just senseless," cousin Rollie Rolex said.

Another shooting that the mayor calls brazen and unconscionable, taking the life of a dedicated city worker trying to make lives better.

Tiffany Fletcher (Family photo)

"A happy person and a cheerful person, always wanting to help somebody. Always wanting to help the kids," brother-in-law Kenny Reggie Washington described Tiffany.

"I think we need to put the guns down and put the gloves up, because when we were young, in the 80s, we fought. We had the guns, but we didn’t use them," family friend Peter Sparrow explained. "It’s like the kids have guns and they wanna shoot the guns."

Police say they have a 14-year-old in custody, but they are still looking for more. Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to contact police. A $10,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction.

City officials also released a statement about Fletcher's shooting death. 

"Our hearts are incredibly heavy tonight. In a brazen and unconscionable act of gun violence, Tiffany Fletcher - a dedicated, passionate, and driven City employee, was struck by crossfire in the middle of the day doing a job she loved at Mill Creek Playground in West Philadelphia," Mayor Kenney said. "Words alone cannot express the outrage, hurt, and sadness all of her colleagues feel tonight. I was beyond appalled to learn of this heinous and senseless crime that has completely devastated so many people, especially her family." 

"Rec centers should be safe havens in our city. The use of deadly weapons in and around our parks and playgrounds is unconscionable," Parks & Recreation Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell said. "Our colleague came to work each day dedicated to serving her neighbors and making her family proud. We thank the dedicated Parks and Rec team members, emergency, and medical staff who responded to this incident." 

On Monday, officials announced that a 14-year-old was charged in connection with Fletcher's shooting.

RELATED:  DA: 14-year-old charged in connection with fatal shooting of Philadelphia Parks and Rec employee