CROWLEY, La. (KLFY)- On May 15, 17-year-old Emori Carter was shot at the corner of West Tenth St. and Jacobs Ave.
He ran from his killer, but only made it two blocks before he died. Police say the bullet traveled through both of his lungs.
“We believe he probably just knelt over and realized he couldn’t breathe after running this far after his lungs had been pierced and laid down in the grass right where I’m standing and passed away,” Crowley Police Juvenile Detective Ryan Temple said.
Saturday Emori’s family marched with Crowley police and city council members from the intersection where Emori was shot to the spot where he died.
“At the moment we did that, it became real. He was no longer with us. He couldn’t walk those same steps with us, and so it took me. It hurt me too,” Det. Temple added. “When we walked together down that road, I think it was a solemn moment. In between individuals who were talking between city councilmembers and Emori’s family and myself, it was kind of just a silent, somber moment, like it was real. We were actually taking the last steps that Emori took as he passed away.”
Leading the march was Emori’s mother.
“Whoever killed my son, I just want y’all to know y’all took my only son as well as my baby,” she said. “He isn’t going be able to see his nephew grow up as well as meet a child, 4-years-old, that looks up to him.”
Det. Temple says the march was not only to remember Emori, but to encourage people in the community who may know something about Emori’s death to step forward.
“We’re really asking the community just to come forward,” he told News 10. “Bring any kind of information that they can, whether it’s something that they just heard, whether it’s something that they know personally, whether you’re involved in the situation or you know the people who are, or you just heard it from the streets, we want to hear it from anybody. Any kind of information will help us.”
Det. Temple says it doesn’t matter how insignificant you believe information you have may be.
He’s urging anyone with any information to step up and be a voice for Emori.
Call Acadia Parish Crime Stoppers, (337) 789-TIPS (8477). Tips can remain anonymous.