After a horrific crime, a rally for peace in Brockton

(Video by Milton Valencia)

By Milton Valencia, Globe Staff

BROCKTON – The grieving father of two young women who were shot, one fatally, by a man on an alleged hate crime rampage called today for justice in the case, saying only then can such crimes be prevented.

Madueno Goncalves, speaking in his native Cape Verdean Crioulo and surrounded by friends and supporters at a “No Place for Hate” rally at City Hall, said that he was still trying to make sense of the violence Wednesday that left his 20-year-old daughter dead and her 22-year-old sister clinging to her life.

“If justice isn’t served, it will happen again,” he said, through a translator. Asked what he plans to do next, all he could say was, “I’m going to go and bury my daughter, and take care of the one surviving.”

The shooting rampage, which also left a homeless man dead and had police officers ducking for cover, is still causing shock throughout this community of just over 90,000 people. Brockton, an urban, diverse community, has seen violence before, but is not used to the level of racist hate that apparently triggered the violent outburst.

Keith Luke, the 22-year-old man charged in the killings, told police he wanted to kill all “nonwhites” and Jews when he shot and killed Selma Goncalves and raped and shot her sister at their Clinton Street home. The sister is recovering in a Boston hospital and is starting to speak, family members said. The Globe does not identify victims of sexual assault without their permission.

Luke allegedly drove off after the shootings Wednesday afternoon and then stopped and shot Arlindo DePina Goncalves, 72, the homeless man also from Cape Verde who was pushing a carriage of cans down the street. Arlindo Goncalves is not related to the sisters.

Luke continued to flee and allegedly shot at police who were chasing him before he crashed his van and was arrested.

He later allegedly told police that he did not mean to shoot at the officers, but that he was planning another shootout at a Jewish synagogue hosting a bingo night near his mother’s home. He faces multiple charges including rape and murder, and is being held without bail. A lawyer representing Luke, who has pleaded not guilty, suggested his client has a history of mental illness.

City officials and community members at the rally, which was sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League and included about 25 people, expressed support for the families of Luke’s victims and denounced the type of hate that fueled the brutal attacks.

“It needs to be clear that this community shows zero tolerance for all acts of violence, and all acts of hate,” said Francis Pina, president of the local chapter of the NAACP.

Police Chief William Conlon said such acts of hatred will not be tolerated.

And Aminah Pilgrim, president of the Cape Verdean Association of Brockton, said that all residents must help the community heal from the type of violence that shook the city.

“No matter what the motive is, all violence is intolerable and unacceptable,” she said. “Let’s look at ourselves and our neighbors, and try to provide healing to one another.”

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