MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) -It’s been a grim week for the city of Mobile as innocent, young lives were lost to gun violence.
A vigil was held Friday afternoon for one of the victims, 11-year-old Lequinten Morrissette, hit by a stray bullet in his own home.
It was difficult for the entire family, as they’re still in shock. But no one more than his mother, Laquita Bradley, who’s been robbed of so many things.
One thing she said Friday, is that her baby is not dead, he’ll always be alive in her heart.
“My baby is not gone. Lequinten is not dead. My baby is sleeping. He’s not dead to me ya’ll, he’s sleeping,” Bradley said.
Bradley says she’s trying to stay strong after losing her only child.
“It’ll never be the same, like I had my baby on my birthday. It’ll never be the same, he died on Memorial Day,” Bradley said. “It’ll never be the same. But I’m going to have to stay strong and just deal with it.”
Several conversations this week have centered around the gun violence in Mobile, specifically when it comes to black lives being lost.
Mobile Police Sergeant John Young got very personal after giving an emotional plea to the community this week.
“There’s a subculture of gun violence in the city of Mobile with young black men and it’s high damn time we did something about it,” Sergeant Young said.
Sergeant Young says some of the victims are as young as 4-years-old.
“Our homicides 19, 19, 18, 17, 16, 14, 11, and 4 years old were all black children,” Young said. “When are we as a city going to wake up.”
Although Bradley says nothing can be done to bring her son back, she says she finds comfort knowing he’s away from the chaos.
“I’m numb because my baby is gone. But I actually feel pretty good he’s in heaven. He’s in a good place, he’s in a better place. His life was took so soon but he’s in a better place,” she said.
Bradley says she plans to honor Lequinten every year for his birthday.
19-year-old Cameron Walker was arrested for his murder.
Police are still looking for at least one more suspect.
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