- Omaha families gathered for the third annual Gone But Not Forgotten Walk, with memorial booths lining Paxton Boulevard featuring pictures, artwork, and personal mementos for victims.
- Omaha Police Department Deputy Chief Jeremy Christensen confirmed that no unsolved homicide case is ever closed, and events like this walk help keep investigations active and visible.
- Darnell Coleman, whose son Ja'Sean was fatally shot at 24, said seeing the community come together brings him comfort as he continues to grieve and keep his son's memory alive.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Families impacted by violence gathered for the third annual Gone But Not Forgotten Walk, honoring loved ones who were killed and raising awareness about unsolved cases.
As families made their way to Fontenelle Park, memorial booths lined Paxton Boulevard. Pictures, artwork, cups and candy — each display telling the story of someone gone far too soon.
Darnell Coleman lost his son, Ja'Sean Coleman, who was just 24 when he was fatally shot by a friend in Omaha's Old Market two years ago.
"It's hard, it's been two years, dealing day by day, going through this. This is something I don't wish on no parent," Darnell Coleman said.
"He was a beautiful soul, a beautiful soul gone. Stuff like this, seeing people come together like this, all of us, it really, it's a, it's a big help," Coleman said.
September is Cold Case Awareness Month, making the walk a reminder that even years later, families are still waiting for answers.
"Omaha Police Department never closes out an unsolved homicide. They are all open. They are all being worked. So events like this bring awareness to that," Jeremy Christensen, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Investigations Bureau, said.
During the event, Omaha Mayor John Ewing issued a proclamation declaring the first Saturday of September as Families of the Stolen Day.
"Events like this have a lot of different aspects that really support the families, but also support our investigations, and keep the memories of the loved ones alive," Christensen said.
For Coleman, keeping his son's memory alive is something he says he'll do for the rest of his life.
"I love you, man. You're always go be in my heart," Coleman said.
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