Family, friends and community members came together Monday evening to remember a young man fatally shot in Halifax a year ago.
Tyler Richards, 29, was found dead inside a home in the 6900-block of Cook Avenue on April 17, 2016.
For those who knew Richards, there’s only one word to describe the past year: “Tough,” said longtime friend Michael Williams.
“Especially for certain occasions, when you know he’d normally be there that he’s not there for. Community events and stuff like that. Certain days are harder than others. Definitely.”
READ: Former Halifax Rainmen player Tyler Richards ID’d homicide victim
Balloon release honours Richards
Richards was a former Halifax Rainmen basketball player.
He was a four-time AUS basketball all-star, who also previously played basketball at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, N.S., from 2004 to 2009 before joining the Rainmen.
On Monday, loved ones wrote notes to Richards on pieces of paper and tied them to balloons. They then counted down and released the balloons all at once.
The event took place in the community of Mulgrave Park, where a large mural of Richards stands, as a way to honour his memory.
Organizers say the balloon release is also a chance to raise awareness about violence in the Halifax Regional Municipality.
“The kids pick up a basketball and they think of him”
“I knew Tyler for over 20 years. We were really close. Me, Tyler and two friends of ours hung tight every day, just down on the steps where we had the mural put up. Just to remember him and all he’s done for the community and in the community,” said Williams.
Williams hopes that Richards’ legacy will include the things he did for the community of Mulgrave Park.
“The kids pick up a basketball and they think of him,” he said. “He had a program during the time of his passing so people put together something to finish out his program where they get to keep drill books and things like that, and they had a lot of his coaches finish off what he started with the youth. ”
WATCH: Police working around the clock to solve recent Halifax homicides
Homicide case remains unsolved
No charges have been laid in connection with Richards’ death. Police say the file remains open and is still being actively investigated, but investigators need help.
“Our biggest thing would be to reach out to the public and really ask for some assistance in the matter,” said Const. Phil Power of Halifax Regional Police.
“We do believe that there are pieces of information out there that the public do know that could be crucial in solving this homicide.”
RELATED: Relative of slain Halifax men asks community to step up, stop ‘no snitching rule’
Investigators have never publicly released any information regarding a suspect or suspects in connection with Richards’ death.
However, police have confirmed that they found evidence related to Richards’ homicide in a wooded area at the end of Mountain Avenue in Dartmouth.
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READ MORE: Halifax police seek information on Tyler Richards, Naricho Clayton homicides
Police need help solving case
Halifax police are asking anyone with information about the homicide of Tyler Richards to come forward. They say the smallest piece of information could make a big difference in solving the case.
“There’s a number of different ways that people could reach out in the community and contact police. Obviously, Crime Stoppers is number one, either through telephone or online tips,” said Power. “The second way would be to contact a member of our investigative team, and of course, last but not least would be to reach out to one of the members of our community response team.”
Williams hopes that Richards’ case will be solved soon. “Obviously, everyone needs closure and if there’s no end to it, there’s no closure, and no matter what we do to remember or anything, we’re always searching for that closure,” he said.
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