Anti-gang march in Quincy Sunday

QUINCY - Though Ramiro "Junior" Munoz was killed more than a year ago, his legacy is far from forgotten.

Munoz' wife, Raquel, is a major force in planning the second-annual Junior Munoz Stop Gang Violence March, scheduled for Sunday at North Park in Quincy, at the corner of Central Avenue and B Street Northeast.

Munoz was killed last September in what officials believe to be gang-related violence at a family reunion.

The march is scheduled at 6 p.m. Sunday, with a potluck starting at 3 p.m. and a rosary in between at 5 p.m.

Raquel Munoz said her family has still not recovered from their loss.

"He was just the all-around American husband and dad," she said. "He was just worried about the kids and wanted to try to put a stop to (gang violence). But it didn't work out that way."

Junior Munoz was slain after he attempted to diffuse a situation between a former gang member attempting to cut ties with the gang.

Three men are currently in custody for the shooting: two in Grant County and one in North Carolina awaiting extradition.

"It's only been a year, and yet this past year has been filled with a lot of firsts for us," Raquel said.

That list includes the family's first Thanksgiving without Junior, first Christmas without him, and several other family holidays.

"It's really hard having to explain to the kids everyday why their dad's not here," Raquel said.

But of her husband's legacy, she would like to keep the community together, she said, which is why she's organized the march.

"We've already accomplished so much in Quincy," she said. "We want to be able keep a tight-knit community and hopefully prevent this from happening again."

Quincy Police Captain Gene Fretheim said that the city has seen a dramatic decline in gang activity since Munoz' shooting.

"The community standing up against this violent activity is significant, and has put the criminal element on notice," he said. "And for the most of last year, we were a full strength at our police department and our officers are proactive rather than reactive."

He also credits a new technology, SpotShotter, that was implemented in July for the downturn in gang violence. The program uses GPS technology to locate gunshots within 15 feet of where they occurred.

It also recognizes the difference between gunshots and vehicle backfires and fireworks, creating less confusion for the department, he said.

"We're definitely visible," Fretheim said. "And the criminal element is aware that we have that technology."