Dozens gather at vigil held for teen shot, killed by friend

Jakyri Fleurimar, 15, shot while hanging with friends in Brownsville home

NORTH MIAMI, Fla. – Dozens of blue balloons floating into the sky were part of an emotional tribute for Jakyri Fleurimar, a teen who was shot and killed by a friend Wednesday.

The loss is still extremely fresh for Fleurimar's family. Dozens gathered Saturday at Pepper Park for a candlelight vigil, singing hymns and praying for change.

"We don't know how many people we can effect, but if we can at least save one or two, that could make all the difference," Pastor Cecil Lamb said.

Jakyri was a 15-year-old star football player. He was hanging out with friends Wednesday in a Brownsville home when a 14-year-old found a gun in a dresser drawer and accidentally shot Jakyri, police said.

"He was a special kid," said Jakyri Fleurimar's father, Tony Fleurimar. "He could turn any situation into a good one. Good-hearted. Didn't have a care in the world."

The teen who fired the fatal shot was arrested and charged with manslaughter. He's now in the custody of his parents.

"We just want justice for Jakyri," Jakyri Fleurimar's mother said.

"He always had a smile. Never did he not have a smile," said Jakyri Fleurimar's friend and football teammate Nicholas Delgado.

That smile now shines on T-shirts made in his honor. Those who gathered in his name Saturday hope he feels the love in heaven and that the community takes a lesson from this tragedy.

"We just need to stop all this violence," Delgado said.

"To know that he was loved in the way that he was, it's a wonderful feeling," Tony Fleurimar said.

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About the Author:

Liane Morejon is an Emmy-winning reporter who joined the Local 10 News family in January 2010. Born and raised in Coral Gables, Liane has a unique perspective on covering news in her own backyard.