For those who knew Cedrick Roker, affectionately known as “Papa Sid,” the news of his death has left behind shock, grief and the painful feeling that there was still so much life ahead of him.
Friends and family took to social media to remember the 36-year-old, sharing tributes that painted a picture of a man who meant different things to different people: a brother, a friend, a businessman and someone they believed was working towards a better future.
Friend Nakesha Hall remembered Roker as the “sweetest and realest person,” while another friend described him as a smart schoolmate and “a wonderful young man.”
Reflecting on their history, the friend acknowledged that they had experienced challenges and disagreements, expressing sadness over how things had ended.
Another friend, Joel, said Roker had been “turning his life around for the better.”
His Facebook profile identified him as the owner of 4cccc Landscape and General Maintenance.
For his family, the loss was deeply personal.
His brother, professional basketball player Azaro Roker of the Halifax Hoopers, expressed disbelief in a tribute shared online.
“Still in disbelief, brother. Fly high brother,” he wrote.
His sister, Chavara Roker, owner of Chickcharney Farms, also shared her love for her brother, writing: “We love you so much. RIP Sid.”
Kyle Nesbitt recalled speaking with Roker recently, saying they had just spoken about attending Gary’s funeral.
“Just talk to you to Gary funeral. Now you gone,” he wrote, words that captured their ordinary conversation which became his final memory.
Alongside the tributes came renewed calls for an end to the violence claiming lives in the community.
Shakara Pinder wrote: “All this senseless killin’ need to stop. These criminals don’t value people’s lives.”
According to police, shortly after 4 pm on Saturday, concerned citizens reported to the Carmichael Road Police Station that a 36-year-old man had been shot.
Officers responding to the report found Roker suffering from gunshot injuries.
Police said preliminary investigations indicated that Roker was exiting Apostolic Way in a black Honda when a white van blocked his path. A verbal confrontation reportedly followed over an outstanding debt. Police further alleged that Roker produced a sharp object before another man, who had been observing the incident, arrived with a firearm and shot him. The suspect fled, and the investigation remains ongoing.