Community gathers for vigil honoring Brittany Booker, mother killed in Racine

 

RACINE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The Racine community is coming together to honor a young mother killed last weekend. Brittany Booker was found dead Sunday, April 24 near 13th and Villa. A vigil for Booker was held Wednesday night on April 27 and dozens showed up calling for an end to violence in the community.

Family and friends of Booker are also demanding justice as police continue searching for her killer, a man that officials have identified as Terry Jackson Jr.

Since Booker's death, three people have been arrested and accused of helping Jackson escape.
"I'm glad we caught three of them but we need to catch him. We need to get him off the streets," said Leonard Larry, Brittany Booker's father.

Larry says his daughter will be remembered for her giving spirit and the love she had for her children.

"She'd give you the shirt off her back. Brittany was everything," he said. Kelly Scroggins-Powell helped organize the vigil. She says the message is about putting an end to violence. "In times like these it is essential that our community comes together," she said.

Community members sang and prayed together, before releasing balloons in Booker's honor. "As a community we will use all of our resources to put an end to the violence," said Scroggins-Powell.

Others spoke about the importance of people speaking up to keep the community safe and called on others to take action against the violence.

As the family waits for justice, the pain of the loss runs deep. Larry says he would give anything to have his daughter back.

Anyone with information about Jackson's location is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (262) 636-9330