A group of community members took to the streets in Hillcrest Heights, Maryland, to demonstrate against gun violence with a peace walk organized by a family still mourning the shooting death of their 13-year-old son.
Justice has been elusive for the family of Jayz Agnew. It’s now been more than three months since the teenager was shot and killed as he was raking in his yard.
No arrests have been made in the case.
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“The pain that I feel, no other mother should feel this pain. No other family should have to go through this. So every day another life is lost, and it’s too many,” Juanita Agnew, Jayz’s mother, said.
Agnew believes there’s power in numbers. That’s why she was so happy to see members of her community brave the rain and cold temperatures and walk with her.
“It’s amazing to see the community support, and it has been one of the main focuses from day one: that we come together as a community to solve this,” she said.
People of all ages were involved in the peace walk. It was a way for the community to connect, show solidarity and talk about the pain gun violence can cause.
It’s a pain that the Agnew family is still processing.
“We need to get gun violence under control. We really do. Enough is enough,” Antoine Agnew, Jayz’s father, said.
Prince George’s County police are still investigating the motive for the shooting and searching for the shooter. Anyone with information that could help the investigation is asked to contact authorities.
Jayz’s death inspired a new proposal in Prince George’s County that would help residents pay for surveillance cameras on their properties.
The teen’s family and his neighbors did not have them, which has complicated investigation efforts.
If passed, the program would provide a rebate to those who do install cameras.
