Vigil held for teen killed during reported robbery attempt over shoes

Today, family and friends gathered for a vigil for a teenager gunned down in Detroit. Police are investigating the murder of Elijah Reese.

The 16-year-old was shot to death on Bedford Street and the I-94 service drive last Wednesday afternoon.

Jamie Reese, Elijah's mother said, “I don’t even know how to feel because I don’t ... like, how am I supposed to live without my son?"

Supported by her sisters, Reese tells 7 News Detroit she spent the better part of a week searching for the strength to keep going.

“Ya’ll took my baby for no reason. It was three of ya’ll. Ya’ll could have jumped on him and took his shoes," she said.

It's a senseless tragedy that demands justice. Reese said Elijah was on his way to a friend's house after school when some masked gunman tried to rob him of his shoes.

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16-year-old shot and killed in Detroit

“I’m just trying to find out who’s raising these kids, cause they don’t have no care for life," she said.

"He had a life. He had a good life," Reese said.

She said, "He definitely had a future. He had a promising future.”

Elijah was a sophomore at East English Village Preparatory Academy. Reese said her son was well-liked but more importantly well-loved.

“He has a mother and a father. We been together for 32 years. We have three children (who are) 31, 28 and he was the baby. 16 (years old)," she explained.

Reese recalled, “I was sick. I was dying last year. Went in the hospital for seven months. My baby took such good care of his mama. I could walk. My baby took such good care of his mama and all I keep asking God is why you save me and take my baby.”

“They just let my baby die on the street like he wasn’t nothin’, and I know my baby was scared. He wasn’t scared of the guys, but he was scared after they shot my baby," she said.

Reese said, "For the people that did this, I hope that you burn in hell. I hope they catch you. I hope they catch y’all, and I hope that y’all do life.”

She said a GoFundMe is to help with burial expenses and can be found at this link .

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Detroit police or Crime Stoppers at 1800 SPEAK UP.

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