‘He was still a child. He had his whole life ahead of him’: Family of murdered Newport News 14-year-old speaks out

Michelle Wolf
·2 min read
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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — A Newport News community is mourning the loss of a 14-year-old boy.

Family, friends and members of the Boys and Girls Club Aqueduct Unit gathered Thursday night for a candlelight vigil honoring Ti’Jonte Terry.

The teen was shot and killed last week in his neighborhood off of Young’s Mill Lane.

14-year-old shot on Youngs Mill Lane in NN dies

Family members told 10 On Your Side the boy was shot multiple times including in the head. He fought for his life in the hospital for three days before passing away.

Friends of Ti’jonte Terry told us he spent a lot of time at the Boys and Girls Club and loved to play basketball. On Thursday, dozens of children mourned his loss.

“I miss Ti’Jonte and I love him. I love him to death,” said Adorre, one of the teen’s friends.

An emotional memorial outside the place 14-year-old Ti’Jonte Terry, who goes by Ty, spent most of his time.

“It’s like losing a son. I love all of these kids as if they were all mine,” said Kenneth “Poo” Hodges.

Hodges runs the Aqueduct Boys and Girls Club and has gotten to know Ty well over the last two years. Hodges said the boy loved to eat and play basketball.

“Ty was a good kid. He used to be one of my first kids coming in here, ‘Mr. Poo you got any snacks,'” Hodges recalled.

Hodges organized Thursday’s candlelight vigil so that Ty’s friends, neighbors and classmates could say goodbye.

Among the crowd, Ty’s mother, Laquisha, and cousin, Kenesha, who asked that we record only their voices.

“He was still a child. He had his whole life ahead of him. He was my child and somebody took him from me,” Ty’s mother told 10 On Your Side.

Ty was the oldest of seven children.

“We just want justice for Ty. No child deserves to be shot. It’s not right,” said Ty’s cousin Kenesha.

Honoring a life gone far too soon and a message for young people.

“Please just stop shooting. Just please just stop shooting,” Hodges urged.

Terry’s family has started a GoFundMe to help with funeral expenses.

If anyone has information on this shooting, they can call 911 or the non-emergency number at 757-247-2500. They can also call the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP or submit information at p3tips.com.

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