CINCINNATI — Paris Crossty loved to cook with the aunt who raised him in their East Price Hill home.
Taco night was a favorite. They’d compete to see who was the better cook, said his aunt, Janice Crossty.
“We'd work against each other,” she laughed. “He'd think he could cook better than me and I taught everybody to cook."
Paris entered the culinary program at Cincinnati COOKS! on Central Parkway to sharpen his skills.
He was dressed in his cook whites for graduation the day he was shot to death June 7 – one of 11 shooting deaths in the city since May 30.
"We've got to put a stop to it,” cried Janice. “We've got to put a stop to this."
Police put out a murder warrant for Jerry Foster but haven’t arrested him. Police haven’t charged anyone in seven of the 11 killings.
City leaders got an update on the spike in shooting deaths in the city Monday from police Chief Eliot Isaac.
RELATED: Chief defends record against crime.
“There are a number of other ones that we are getting very close to,” said Isaac. “I am very confident that those that are responsible for this, we're going to catch up to them.”
Isaac points out that crime is down - the lowest in years in fact.
June has just been a busy, deadly month.
“We have some challenging days ahead, but I think it's important that people see what's taking place over the long term,” the chief said.
Paris Crossty's case got city leaders' attention. He was gunned down just blocks from city hall on Central Avenue in the West End.
“I miss everything about him. His smile, his being here and being a protector. He was a good son,” said Janice.
Paris was trying to turn his life around.
A couple weeks earlier, Paris met with Mitch Morris of the Cincinnati Works' Phoenix Program at an event to stop violence.
Paris wanted help getting his commercial drivers license.
“We had hamburgers and hot dogs and sat there and talked for a minute and he actually came back a couple times to talk to us about it,” said Morris.
“He bought in and signed up for the program - but wouldn't ever have the chance to get started.”
Paris’s family just wants the closure of an arrest now.
“Just turn yourself in,” Janice said.
