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Harford Co. Mom Pleas For Help To Solve Son's Murder, 9 Years Later

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A Harford County mother is keeping her son's name alive and renewing her pleas for justice, years after her son's death.

Tariq Alston was murdered 9 years ago, but his killer has never been found. Amy Yensi has more on the efforts to solve this cold case.

The family is still hoping for an arrest. In the mean time, they're using their heartbreak to help others.

It's been nearly 9 years since gunshots rang out during a private party at the Joppa Magnolia Fire Hall.

Twenty-two year-old Tariq Alston was shot in the head. He died soon after getting to the hospital.

His parents, spoke to WJZ, now after several anniversaries of the murder had gone by, without any arrests.

"It's not a cold case to me. It's very, very hot. I live with this every day," says Tariq's mother Daphne Alston.

She is now using her heartbreak to help other grieving mothers and started Mothers of Murdered Sons.

The support group meets every year.

"We want to use Tariq's life to help save other lives and to help other parents who are invited here to get through their grief process," says Daphne Alston.

Her son's case is still unsolved, even though Harford County's Sheriff's Office has spent years passing out reward flyers. The reward is up to $2,000 for information that can lead to an arrest.

"We're encouraging the community, you've got any information bring it to us," says Monica Worrell, with Harford County Sheriff's Office.

"What young person has that much hate in them, that they could do that?" says Daphne Alston.

After 9 years of asking the same questions, Alston wants to save other mothers from the same inexplicable loss and pain.

"Our goal is to take back our cities and our streets and reclaim them. We are no longer going to put
Up with these senseless acts," she says.

Although the shooting happened at a party packed with people and there were many witnesses there is not enough information for an arrest.

If you know anything that can help solve this case, you're urged to contact that Harford County Sheriff's office.

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