Mother Pleads For End Of Gun Violence After 18-Year-Old Son Gunned Down In West Oak Lane
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- An 18-year-old is the latest victim of gun violence after being shot more than a dozen times in Philadelphia Sunday. The family's world is turned upside down as this young man won't be coming home.
Eyewitness News spoke to the victim's mother shortly after she learned her son was gunned down in West Oak Lane.
Her daughter was also recently shot but survived. She's pleading for something to be done to end the violence.
"It was a family gather, on Sunday's we get together," Shineka Crawford said.
It was just after 4:30 p.m. when Crawford faced every parent's worst nightmare.
"I received a call that he was shot," Crawford said. "I was only around the corner, and when I drove around here, he was lying on the ground."
Her 18-year-old son, Shaquille Barbour, was shot 13 times while riding his bike home from the corner store.
"We kept praying he would make it," Crawford said.
Shaquille was taken to Temple University Hospital where he died from his injuries.
"I saw him ten minutes before he got killed," Crawford said. "He said 'I love you, Mom,' I said, 'I love you more,' and he gave me a hug and a kiss."
This would be the last time she'd ever see him alive.
"I can't describe the pain, it's that bad," she said. "I wouldn't want any mother to go through this, this hurts."
Now, she's clinging to photos of her only son, a kid who grew up playing football.
"He had a good heart, a great heart, older people always bragged how respectful he was, how he helped anybody," Crawford said.
She's also pleading for the violence to end.
"This city, something has to be done about these guns," Crawford said.
Thirteen City Council Members wrote a letter to the mayor tonight, hoping to increase the city's budget by $100 million for violence prevention and response.
Anyone with information about the shooting of Shaquille Barbour is asked to call the police.
