VIDEO | ‘We shouldn’t have to be here’: Community mourns teens killed in shooting

ROCKINGHAM — Family, friends and community members gathered Wednesday evening at Broad Street Square to celebrate the two lives lost Sunday afternoon, and to find a path forward that can address the root issues that spurred the tragedy.

Two teens were killed in a shooting at the 74 Car Wash Sunday afternoon.

“We shouldn’t have to be here,” said Bruce Stanback, who knew both of the victims, one of whom volunteered with Richmond County Teen Court which Stanback leads. “Parents should not have to bury their children. There’s no situation, no conflict, no issues that can be solved with a gun.”

He added that the community cannot wait for a tragedy to happen in order to rally together to find solutions.

“We have to come together and be serious and intentional about what we’re trying to do to help these young people,” Stanback continued. “They’re reaching out, they’re calling out. They want our help. Folks, we can turn this whole situation around. But, it’s going to take us working together.”

The suspect in the shooting, 18-year-old Evann Jaqueez Taylor, was arrested and charged early Sunday morning. He is being held without bond at the Richmond County Jail.

“We got to wrap our hands and embrace our youth [so] that we don’t have this happen again and love one another as we do ourselves,” said Sheriff Mark Gulledge. “We have to look to the Lord and pray every day for these families that have experienced this loss.”

The families did not want the deceaseds’ names used in this article. Two immediate family members of the deceased declined to be interviewed. Rev. Michael Patrick of Holly Grove Missionary Baptist Church spoke on behalf of the mothers of the deceased. He quoted Ephesians 12, and said that there is a “spiritual warfare” going on against the young people in our world.

“You all can be better people, we can all be better people in this community,” Patrick said. “I want to challenge each and everyone that is under the sound of my voice, that you know if someone’s getting ready to act a fool, you step up and say ‘no.’”

“All you have to do is reach out,” Patrick added. “There’s so many people in this community that want to help. But we can’t help if we don’t know.”

Tina Griffin, whose nephew was one of the deceased, said she wasn’t surprised at the large turnout of about 300 in the parking lot.

“I hate the occasion,” Griffin said. “But all the family and friends that came through, they really showed up.”

Rosalyn Hester, a friend of one of the deceased’s family, said that young people need more things to do in Richmond County.

“When you have nothing to do, you have an idle mind,” Hester said. “An idle mind is the devil’s playground. They don’t know how to express themselves. That’s why they show anger because there’s nothing else to do.”

Griffin and Hester said that open basketball courts and tournaments, skating rinks and afterschool programs would be simple, positive ways to reinvigorate the community.

“We’ve experienced so many deaths to gun violence in the past several years,” Hester said. “Unless [the young people] take it to themselves and realize ‘we need to stop.’”

All of the speakers called for young people to find solutions to their problems that don’t involve a gun. After a concluding prayer, the crowd released hundreds of balloons into the evening sky.

Dobbins Heights Mayor Antonio Blue said he met one of the young victims about four years ago. He said that he was overwhelmed by the support that he saw at the memorial.

“It’s going to take all of us — parents, sisters, brothers,” Blue said. “It takes a true village, and the village has to come forth. We don’t have a choice. The call has been made and we’ve got to answer the call. It’s got to stop somewhere, and we have to start now. Why not let it be now?”