TACOMA, Wash. — A Tacoma mother is urging for the violence to stop after her 17-year-old son was shot and killed Sunday.
Tacoma police are searching for at least one suspect who shot and killed a teenager in Tacoma.
Loved ones identified him as Veron Locket, who attended Mt. Tahoma High School.
Investigators said the shooting happened Sunday night on E. 41st Street.
“I never will get to meet his children. I will never get to meet his children,” the mother said. “I got to go to the funeral service to make arrangements for my baby who was trying to do his best and someone decided to take it.”
“I can’t sleep. All I do is dream about my son,” she added.
The mother said she found out her son’s friend was also killed in Spanaway Thursday morning, just several days after her son’s death.
Her son’s other close friend was also killed seven months prior.
“I’m close to all of their moms,” she said.
“Heartbreaking. Very devastating,” said Chanell Arthur, cousin. “Three days after, so another kid has lost his life. That’s another family in a span of three days. That’s crazy.”
Arthur told KIRO 7 that in order to stop youth violence, she believes the community needs to step up to help keep children safe, adding that families need to have more conversations with their children and with others.
“I don’t want any other family, mother, father, grandmother to experience this and I wish kids would really get that. They are ruining their lives over what? The pain is unbearable,” she said. “How do we as a community stop it? How do we stop it? How do we educate our young kids? How do we talk with them and tell them that is not a way to solve any issue, if there is an issue?”
Veron’s mother added that her son was known for his kind heart and his funny personality. Veron was also a varsity football player for Mt. Tahoma High School and had been invited to play at a bowl game in Hawaii, and had dreams of becoming a chef.
Tacoma police told KIRO 7 that they are not ruling out any possible connection between both shootings in Tacoma and Spanaway.
No one has been arrested in this case, as of Thursday.
Loved ones created a GoFundMe to help the family during this difficult time.
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