A young Syracuse girl who was fatally shot last January as she walked home from a corner store to buy milk is being honored. The building that will bear her name is a place that Brexi Torres Ortiz frequented daily to experience fun activities with friends. The Central Village Boys & Girls Club, located at 212 Van Buren St., is operated by the Syracuse Housing Authority. Executive Director Bill Simmons says Brexi’s family expressed how much of a special place it was for her.
“I had the opportunity to talk to them and then began to read the comments from family and friends at the Boys & Girls Club and the school district," Simmons said. "She was just a very bright and cheerful and helpful student who was sensitive to everybody’s needs.”
A plaque with Brexi’s photo will greet youth and families in the foyer as they arrive to the center. Simmons didn’t know the girl personally, but through her family and others, her legacy became very clear.
"We’re hoping the dedication of the building in her name will be a reminder for all of us about how much we need to do to make improvements in our community,” Simmons said.
One way to make a positive impact, he said, is to further address the city’s high poverty rate. The Syracuse Police Department also donated a memory bench with a plaque to remember the 11-year-old girl.
