DETROIT – A vigil was held for 16-year-old Elijah Reese, a student at East English Village Preparatory Academy (The Ville) at Finney, who was shot and killed while walking home from high school.
The vigil occurred on Monday on Bedford Street by his friends and family, who say the 16-year-old was targeted for his Alexander McQueen sneakers on Wednesday (May 22).
Local 4 learned that the shooter, who too is a very young teen, had a stolen gun and may have been targeting Reese for his shoes, which family members said he earned every dollar for.
“He was only 16 years old, and he was a good kid,” said Elijah’s mother, Jamie Reese.” said
--> 16-year-old boy shot, killed on Detroit’s east side
Surrounded by family, friends, and loved ones while surrounded by sorrow on Memorial Day, mourning the murder of Elijah.
“I hope you burn in hell,” Jamie said. “I hope you get everything that you got coming to you. I ain’t that parent that’s going to say, ‘Oh, I forgive you.’ Nah, that ain’t me. I hope you burn right in hell.”
Jamie says she has learned as police investigate that another teen may be as young as Elijah had a stolen gun on him when he targeted Elijah wearing his $1,200 shoes.
“They tried to rob my son, and my son smacked his hand,” Jamie said. “My son wouldn’t let him go in his pockets, and he shot my baby three times. Did y’all want his $1,200 shoes he had on his feet that y’all didn’t even get? Senseless! Y’all killed my baby for nothing.”
Police are still checking Ring cameras in the area to see who killed Elijah.
--> Community mourns tragic incidents involving child, teen, 30-year-old woman in Detroit
