The family of one of the latest violence victims in Edgewood has become the rallying point for residents’ renewed fight against gangs and crime.

Violence has battered the town in Harford County in recent years. Since the end of last year, a 50-person brawl left a father paralyzed; a beating put a pizza deliveryman into a coma; a shooting along Interstate 95 killed a man; and numerous others were injured in assaults, stabbings and shootings.

Then, last month, Robert Alston’s son, Tariq Alston, was murdered. The 22-year-old was shot in the stomach while at a dance party at the Joppa-Magnolia Fire Department banquet hall. He died that night.

Police have answered residents’ calls for more patrols, but the violence has continued. Residents are now looking to each other to save their neighborhoods.

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“We’ve got to stand our ground,” Alston said in a forced tone at a rally Monday night.

He stood next to Mildred Samy, a community activist whose son last year was shot to death. Samy grabbed Alston’s arm in consolation after he paused to compose himself before continuing. “Do what we have to do; forget what we have to forget.”

Several pastors from different Edgewood churches, along with County Executive David Craig and County Councilman Dion Guthrie, joined together at the rally at Fountain of Life Fellowship Church to plan community events to reach out to gang members.

At the beginning of September, the pastors want to hold a weekend of dance and rap contests, and discussions with young criminal offenders and their parents.

“I hear the gunshots. I hear the helicopters. I see the children, I hear the despair. I hear it in their voices, and I ask, ‘God, what can I do?’ ” said the Rev. Kathleen Graves, pastor of Holy Temple of Jesus Christ in Edgewood.

At the end of the two-hour rally, residents joined hands, forming a circle around Alston and his wife, Daphne.

Together they prayed that it would be the last time violence would put the community in that position.

“When we walk out these doors, let us not forget what we talked about here, because there’s a child waiting with a gun,” said the Rev. Antonio McDonald, pastor of Fountain of Life.

“If we don’t get to that child first, we’re going to be back here again.”

msilvestri@baltimoreexaminer.com