Woman Mourns Her 15-Year-Old Son Gunned Down On Mother's Day
LONG BEACH (CBSLA) -- A Long Beach mother is in pain Sunday evening -- it wasn't just because she lost a son to gun violence, but he was gunned down on Mother's Day.
The 15-year-old aspiring dancer was mourned Sunday night.
KCAL9's Laurie Perez said Sheenae Moore could hardly speak about her son -- especially on a day honoring moms.
"You all took my son's life, he was only 15 years old," said Moore.
A vigil was held at the place where Lamarion Upchurch was killed. He was a freshman at Long Beach's Cabrillo High and clearly popular and well-liked.
He was murdered early this morning in South LA at Manchester Avenue near the 110 Harbor Freeway. Police are looking for at least two suspects. The two men drove up and asked Upchurch where he was from before firing.
The search for the suspects is on-going, said detectives.
Meanwhile, at his vigil, people were eager to talk to Perez about their friend, school colleague, football team teammates. They all smiled telling stories about him.
"He was aggressive, fast, he knew what he was doing," said Christian Rios.
And in the locker room, he was a beloved guy.
"Man, that boy played around too much," said Rios, laughing.
Where friends said Upchurch really made his mark was on the dance floor.
He was known for being a member of the World of the Renowned "Tommy the Clown" dance group. He was known as "Lil BZ."
The group appeared almost every weekend around LA -- and many of the little kids who came to the vigil were fans he entertained at birthday parties.
"Brody the Clown" says he was with Upchurch on and off the dance floor.
"Dynamic duo," he called them.
More like brothers than just friends, he and the rest of the dance team are now a family in mourning.
"You could never stay mad at him he was happy person. He was just like an intelligent boy," said Brodt.
"From now on in the clown world I'm just gonna do everything for him. This is what he loved," said a friend choking back tears.
Loved ones say Upchurch was on his way home with three other teens at the time of the attack. Two of the other boys were also hit by gunfire and remain hospitalized.
Associates also told Perez that the suspects posted video of the shooting on social media.
