Friends: Man killed in St. Paul shooting was chef caught in crossfire

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - As a victim of gun violence is being remembered by his loved ones Monday, important work is being done to address violence in the capital city.

Family and friends of Larry Jiles Jr. are remembering the 34-year-old as a talented chef who blessed the plates of many in the Twin Cities, changing lives with his bright soul.

Giles was catering a memorial service at a St. Paul senior living community when a fight broke out, and he was caught in the middle and shot dead.

"He was great. He was honest; he was true. He was pure," said Mario Delara, a friend of Jiles.

Outside of his Centerville restaurant, a growing memorial is taking shape to honor the man better known as "Chef Hot Hands."

"We're hurting, but we're happy too, though, because we know as a village we raised a good man," said James Warren Sr, a loved one of Jiles.

As many grieve those lost to gun violence in the city this past weekend, community leaders gathered at the Truce Center to talk about how to try and move forward. Miki Frost organized the event with a focus on making the city a safer place for the next generation.

"We have resources for you, we have the help that you need to get you away from that life that a lot of us lived and were blessed by a higher power to get away from," Frost said.

Frost urged attendees to identify who they were beefing with so that they could work together to resolve their conflicts before they escalate.

Just the day before Saturday's shooting killed Giles, three teenagers were shot at another memorial service for a St. Paul student stabbed to death at school this year.

An online fundraiser has been created to help Giles' family after the death.