"Kids have to have a parent in their lives," the chief said.
JERSEY CITY -- Fire Chief Darren Rivers, whose son was gunned down on Fulton Avenue in June, today said "the key to this whole problem" of youth violence is family.
Rivers, speaking at an anti-violence forum at Saint Peter's University when he was one of the panelists, said he stayed out of trouble when he was young because his mother kept him from giving into peer pressure.
"I was more afraid of my parents than I was of my friends," he said. "It all starts at home ... the kids have to have a parent in their lives."
Darcel Rivers, the fire chief's 35-year-old son, was fatally shot during an apparent robbery in the early morning hours of June 4. Darcel Rivers was walking to his mother's house after visiting a friend when he was killed.
Today, the chief said he still struggles with the loss of his son, and to get through each day he tries to focus on his four remaining children and 12 grandkids.
"I can't bring my son back, but I can put my attention on them," he said.
MORE: Jersey City officials mourn fire chief's son, pledge action
This afternoon's forum was hosted by the Jersey City university's Guarini Institute for Government and Leadership, and organized by local activist Pamela Johnson. Johnson said she wanted it to "start the conversation" about youth violence, and give teens a chance to see that there's an alternative to living on the streets. About 50 people attended.
Councilwoman-at-large Joyce Watterman, another panelist, said neighborhoods must build "a new community" to combat violence. In Watterman's youth, she said, neighbors looked out for everyone's children, and that kind of community-mindedness must return.
"If Miss Bessie saw you do something wrong, she would smack you, and then when you got home, your mom would smack you," Watterman said.
The roughly 90-minute session ended with Rivers, Watterman and the other panelists offering advice for the young people present on how to stay out of the criminal justice system.
"Always stay focused," Rivers told them. "Own your dreams, own your goals and do whatever it takes to reach them."
Asked last week if there were any developments in Darcel Rivers' case, city spokesman Ryan Jacobs said the city does not provide details on ongoing investigations.
Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
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