Search the Fresh Air Archive

Close Search

Violence, Youth, and Cities: Two Parents on Losing Their Son

Rochelle and Anthony Yates. On July 18, 1988 the Yates' five year old son Marcus was killed in gun crossfire between two drug dealers fighting for turf in a corner store. There were 11 children in the store playing video games, two others were shot but survived; one of them was Marcus' six year old brother. Since the incident, the Yates' have become activists against senseless violence; they lecture to high schools, take in foster children who have lost family members to violence, run a day care center and organize community activities to take back neighborhoods.

40:14
Queue

Guests

Host

Related Topics

Other segments from the episode on April 26, 1995

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, April 26, 1995: Interview Rochelle Yates and Anthony Yates; Review of Martin Amis's novel "The Information."

Transcript

Transcript currently not available.

Transcripts are created on a rush deadline, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of Fresh Air interviews and reviews are the audio recordings of each segment.

You May Also like

Queue
21:43

A Mourning Family Finds Justice in the Simpson Civil Trial

Fred & Kim Goldman, father and and sister of the late Ron Goldman, who was murdered in June 1994. They were present throughout the criminal trial against O.J. Simpson, who was charged with the crime, and recently won their case against him at the civil trial. In a new book "His Name is Ron: Our Search for Justice," the family recounts their experiences at the criminal trial and shares their memories of Ron Goldman.

Interview
Queue
13:38

The Murder of Eddie Polec: His Parents Discuss His Final Day and His Attackers' Trial.

On November 11, 1994, Eddie Polec was clubbed to death in a Philadelphia suburb by a group of rival high school kids. He was clubbed with a baseball bat on the steps of the St Cecilia's Church where he had been an altar boy. Investigators say he was beaten until limp and then held aloft "to give the bat-wielding youths a better shot." He had been waiting for his young brother, to walk home together when the group of kids arrived, looking for a fight. Eddie hadn't been part of the rivalry. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Interview

Did you know you can create a shareable playlist?

Learn How
Advertisement

Recently on Fresh Air Available to Play on NPR

36:27

'The Great Refusal' author Casey Gerald says ruining his reputation saved his life

CASEY GERALD, author of the new book The Great Refusal: A New Vision of Resistance. It picks up where his previous book, There Will Be No Miracles Here, left off, which is a memoir that chronicled his life growing up in Oak Cliff, Dallas; attending Yale and Harvard; working at Lehman Brothers; creating a successful nonprofit; and, at the height of his success, walking away. (THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES INTO THE SECOND HALF OF THE SHOW).

Related segments from the Fresh Air Archive:

16:03

Netflix's 'SCTV' is a treasure trove of underdog humor

Tv critic DAVID BIANCULLI reviews SCTV, which is now available to stream on Netflix . “SCTV,” also known as “Second City TV,” was a low-budget sketch comedy show that originated in Canada in the mid-1970s and continued in syndication and on network and cable TV until 1984. Its cast members over the years have included John Candy, Martin Short, Catherine O’Hara, and Andrea Martin.

WEDNESDAY, 9 SEPT 2026

Related segments from the Fresh Air Archive:

52:30

Rosanne Cash shares the list of music her dad, Johnny, insisted she know [REBROADCAST]

Singer and songwriter, ROSANNE CASH. When she was 18, her father Johnny Cash gave her a list of 100 essential country songs. Years later she released an album titled The List featuring 12 of those songs. (REBROADCAST FROM 2009.10.05) (THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES INTO THE SECOND HALF OF THE SHOW)

Related segments from the Fresh Air Archive:

See All Recent Segments

There are more than 22,000 Fresh Air segments.

Let us help you find exactly what you want to hear.
Just play me something
Your Queue

Would you like to make a playlist based on your queue?

Generate & Share View/Edit Your Queue