'I just want justice for my son': Family of slain 14-year-old Milwaukee boy grieves, asks for clarity

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- One person is in custody as a Milwaukee family grieves the loss of a 14-year-old boy who was shot outside a park in broad daylight. And family say a few things that happened in the last 24 hours have added to their sorrow.

First, a witness posted a video online. It showed the gunshot victim up close gasping for air. With public pressure, the video's been taken down, but there's even more hurt as family simultaneously try to deal with the loss.

This is Alijah Golden-Richmond. He turned 14 in May and this fall, the teen who played football and basketball and loved to dance, would've started high school.

"No justice, no peace. No justice, no peace," family chanted at a vigil at 40th and Vliet Friday evening.

It's still unclear exactly what led to Golden-Richmond getting shot outside Washington Park. It's a place family say he liked to go with friends.

"I just want justice for my son," said Princella Golden, Alijah's mother.

Twenty-four hours later, family are calling for clarity.

"All I know is this is a senseless crime, and I hope whoever done it pay for what they done to him," said Amorsteen Zeqiri, Alijah's grandmother.

Police say charges are pending against a 22-year-old woman.

"This young life mattered. It mattered to the mother and the father and the sister and the brother and the aunts and friends. It mattered," they prayed at the vigil.

Those who attended Friday's vigil brought balloons in blue and green, Alijah's favorite colors.

"And we all have to go someday, but I didn't expect for him to go like this," said Zeqiri.

The vigil was emotional, tears streaming down even the youngest faces.

"You gone, but never forgotten. You still here with us. You still here with us," family said at the vigil.

Golden-Richmond's family say they haven't experienced gun violence firsthand before. Adding insult to this injury, they say Golden-Richmond's mother wasn't allowed to see him at the hospital.

"My daughter arrived first at Froedtert Hospital. They told her to get out. I feel that the hospital should've gave the family a private room and I think she should've seen her son been able to view his body," said Zeqiri.

We reached out to both Froedtert and Milwaukee police for a response and are waiting for their reply. Milwaukee police tell us in addition to arresting the 22-year-old woman, they also took two others into custody - a 46-year-old woman and a 19-year-old woman.