ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Gun violence can change lives in an instant. For one Rochester family, the night of Nov. 21, 2007, left a permanent scar — taking a daughter, a sister and a mother.

What You Need To Know

  • The night of Nov. 21, 2007, changed a Rochester family forever as gun violence took the life of Ajana "Angel" Dortch

  • Dortch's family says she was a caring mother and aspiring social worker who was simply trying to help when she was caught in the crossfire

  • Despite their loss, Dortch's family honors her memory by focusing on her legacy and the love she left behind

It was the early morning hours when a quiet Rochester street was shattered by gunfire. When police arrived, they found chaos — a woman dead inside a car, another man shot in the leg. Her name was Ajana Dorch — but to her family, she was Angel.

Persephone Modeste, Angel’s sister, recalled the moment she learned something was wrong. 

“My brother called me. He said, ‘Someone in Angel’s car got shot.’ And we didn't know it was her," Modeste said. "He didn't know that. She was an angel. She had just gotten accepted into a program at Keuka College, a social work program."

Helping others was what Angel loved to do, and that night, she was just doing what came naturally. When asked what happened that night, Modeste explained:

“There was a party there, and they had a squabble or something regarding girls," she said. "Some boys that were friends of the family came to the house where she was. Their uncle was going to go with them to squash the beef, and she was like, ‘Well, I'll drive.' "

The moment they arrived, everything changed.

“The other two were getting out on one side, the uncle was getting out on the driver’s side, and when [the shooter] saw him, he just started shooting,” Modeste added.

Police scoured the area looking for evidence and witnesses.

Angel’s family rushed to the scene, searching for answers they already feared. “I saw the police tape… the bullet casings on the ground,” Modeste recalled.

“Then they told us that it was her. Her kids were there… it was so hard,” she expressed.

Though time has moved forward, the loss still lingers.

“Even now, she has grandchildren, I tell them all the time about their grandma and how much she would love them," Modeste said. "Her daughter has a master’s degree. Her son has his own business. And her other son is doing well. She would be so proud of them."

But tragedy struck the family again — as Angel’s middle son was taken in the same way as his mother.

“That was real hard, too,” Modeste added.

The man who killed Angel served nearly 17 years in prison. At the family's request, his name is not being shared. He was later released but is now back in prison for another crime.

“Vengeance isn’t mine. But I thank God he’s not out there hurting anyone else,” she said.

Despite the pain, Angel’s family chooses to focus on her life, not her death.

“We do things like release balloons," Modeste said. "We write down how we’re feeling or anything we want to say, and we let it go."

Angel’s story is not just about loss — it’s about legacy, love and resilience.