Genice (not Jenice) Clark, the 17-year-old Staten Island girl fatally shot in the stomach Sunday morning, apparently died while trying to stick up for her older sister. Genice's sister, Cherina, was also part of the crowd gathered outside a Deli near the Stapleton Houses around 3 a.m., and apparently got into a fight with another girl. A boy stepped in, slapped Cherina and pushed her to the ground. Genice then apparently beat the boy up, and her family believes she was shot by someone else as payback.
Her family believes the shooter is an older cousin of the girl Cherina beat up, and most likely in his 30s. Police are looking into the family's claims, but have yet to find a suspect. Genice's uncle, Edward Anderson, said the older generation shouldn't be setting an example of violence. “For these middle-aged guys running around and trying to incorporate these younger kids, let these kids live,” he said. “Leave these young kids alone. Do your own thing."
Genice's family is attempting to arrange someone to walk in her place at graduation, so her dream of getting a high school diploma could still be achieved. Her uncle said, "In fact, we were going to try to make a CD up out of it," something to distribute to other children in the neighborhood as an inspiration "to reach her goal and go higher." Genice had planned to attend SUNY Buffalo in the fall and play basketball there.
