CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Community members in West Virginia’s Capital City, still struggling to cope with the recent death of 15 year old James Means, say it’s time to come together to create a better future for today’s youth.
“We want to have people aware of programs, so that people can know that there are constructive things that they can do to help them become productive citizens,” said Wayne Crozier, pastor at Abundant Life Ministries Church in Charleston.
On Wednesday night, more than 100 people gathered where Means was shot and killed on Charleston’s East End — just one block from the church near the corner of Washington and Nancy streets.
“We actually went to the crime scene and had prayer, had scripture,” Crozier said. “We want it to be a positive site. Not a negative site.”
William Pulliam, 62, was charged with first degree murder in connection with Means’ death on Nov. 21 in which he allegedly told police he took “another piece of trash off the street.”
Investigators said audio obtained from a house near the shooting revealed a voice which is believed to have been Pulliam saying, “That toy gun is going to get you f…ing killed” right before the teen was shot.
Police are working to determine if the murder meets the definition of a hate crime because Pulliam is white and Means was black.
Crozier said, unfortunately, the issue of race is a nationwide problem, not just in Charleston.
“I think there’s a problem with race in America, it’s not just in West Virginia,” he said. “I think that it’s a difficult conversation and some people they may not be affected by it, but for the majority of minorities, there’s a problem.”
Those who gathered at the crime scene then marched to the Abundant Life Ministries Church where they sang and prayed for a brighter future in the Charleston community.
Means’ death affected many people and even made national news, Crozier said.
“A lot of people heard about it. A lot of people read about it,” he said. “We wanted to make sure that we sent a message out that the children matter, they’re valuable and they should be safe. We want everyone to feel safe.”
Earlier this month, a Kanawha County magistrate judge found probable cause to send Pulliam’s case to a grand jury. Pulliam remains in the South Central Regional Jail.