Anti-gun violence advocates, including families of gun violence victims, educators and diversion groups, held a rally Friday in Canarsie.

The advocates say they held the rally because they did not want to wait for another instance of gun violence and to call attention to the areas needed for more resources and programing for youth.

The rally, organized by community outreach group the Flossy, held the event at Bildersee Playground in Canarsie, where three teens were shot in October 2024.

"We see what safe communities look like, they have good education, they have good jobs, they have resources and they have a way forward for kids that are positive that have them have the help they need," said organizer Jibreel Jalloh.

Jalloh says there is frequent gun violence in that area, resulting in children not feeling safe and a school's basketball court to be partially closed.

He is calling for the area to receive state funds to receive a community center, in line with those found in Brownsville and East New York.

Jalloh was joined by the parents of slain 19-year-old Christian Montrose, who was killed in what his parents say was a case of mistaken identity outside of his home in March 2024.

"We will never know what he was going to be. We will never know what he was going to accomplish. There's so much dreams that is shattered by all these young children that are dying on the street for no reason," his mother Amanda Montrose said.

Less than an hour after the rally, police confirmed a 57-year-old woman was shot one block away from the site of the rally - in the areas first reported shooting - at the intersection of E. 81st Street and Flatlands Avenue.