KOKOMO, Ind. — When Derico Young's daughter was shot and killed back in 2021, he wanted to create a space for men like him who lost a loved one to gun violence.
While building Ree-Ree's Place, Young said he never imagined he would be using this space to remember his daughter and her half-sister.
"Those two girls were loud and funny," he said.
Derisha Young's sister, Kalieah Dean, was shot and killed last Thursday.
When Derico heard the news, he says time stopped.
"I'm just lost," he said.
Derico doesn't like to talk about the girls in past tense, because he never wants to feel like they aren't around.
"Got to talk about both of them like they are still here, that's the only way to cope with that," he said.
Derico is one of the dozens of people in central Indiana personally affected by youth gun violence. He created Ree-Ree's Place in Kokomo for men like him to have a safe space to share the emotions they feel during their grief.
"Its a place that if you just feel like you need to cry, that's fine, no one is judging you because that is what Ree-Ree's Place is for," he said.
Derico knows this space will be home to many more people in the future, but for right now he hopes there will be a solution to the problem.
"The killing has to stop," he said. "'Why?' is the only question we have."
Derico is currently renovating the space and plans to open the doors soon. If you want to donate you can visit reereesplace.com.