LONGS, SC- Community members mourn after the loss of three teenagers to deadly shootings. The latest, 14 year-old Taizuan Dewitt was shot and killed Friday night.
Dewitt’s mother Kissie Melvin said she last spoke to her son Friday morning. Melvin said she had a feeling something bad was going to happen.
“I said Taizuan mamas got a feeling that something is going to happen, stay home,” she said.
Melvin said she was devastated to learn her son had been shot, but not surprised. She had set a curfew because of the recent shootings in the area, but she said her son was rambunctious and liked hanging out with friends.
“He was just that kid that loved to clown around and he loved to make everybody laugh,” stated Melvin.
Despite his outgoing personality, Melvin said her son had a hard time coping with the violence that took the lives of two of his friends. Horry County Police continue to investigate the shooting, but a person of interest is in custody.
Chesterfield Missionary Baptist Church Youth Pastor, Wallace Evans Jr. said the Dewitt’s death had an effect on the entire community.
“It was sort of a wake-up call for us to really focus on our young people,” said Evans.
The CMBC congregation is organizing a “Youth Empowerment Rally” that will be held Saturday, at the Popular Recreation Park, at 4 p.m. Evans said the rally will educate and encourage community members to support youth in the fight against violence.
“There is this don’t snitch culture and so we want to break the silence, stop the violence,” said Evans. “We want young people to understand that it’s critical that you’ve got to tell what you know, what you’ve seen because that could very well save someone’s life.”
Melvin is hopeful her son’s death will impact the community positively.
“Out of all of this it will bring love and unity,” she said.
Taizuan Dewitt’s funeral will be held Wednesday, at Chesterfield Missionary Baptist Church in Longs, at 2 p.m.