"I'm going to take it one day at a time," she said yesterday. "I'll stay out there this week. I'll stay out next week."
Such is the reality of this matriarch's life in this pocket of South Philadelphia, where acts of violence are part of the fabric of the neighborhood.
"Historically, that's the way it's always been," said Lt. Joe Dougherty, of South Detectives. "It's the same old story. Some of the guys down there are very territorial . . . they can have a problem if you're from 27th Street, or 30th Street, or 31st, or the projects."
In some cases, territorial grudges are passed down through generations. But investigators often can't fully determine why residents of neighboring streets appear to be at war.
"We can speculate on this and that," Dougherty said, "but most of the time, God only knows what prompts them to actually start shooting at each other. We don't get that much cooperation."
Carter's son, Tyree Parks, was a standout athlete at South Philadelphia High School. By all accounts, the 18-year-old was a good kid with a quick smile and a positive attitude.
Friday morning, Parks learned that he'd been accepted to Bloomsburg University in north central Pennsylvania. Friday night, he was dead.
Parks, 18, was walking with his 9-year-old nephew and two other young teens when he was shot in the head during a drive-by shooting on 32nd Street near Dickinson. Parks, who coached a youth basketball team, had been taking his young players home after a game.
Bullets pierced the clothing of the two other teens but neither was struck. The 9-year-old witnessed his uncle's murder but was not physically harmed. Police have made no arrests and are seeking the public's help.
"I could have lost two instead of one," Carter said.
