AUSTELL, Ga. — A teenager who crusaded against gun violence after his mother was killed has also died after he was shot.
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The father of 17-year-old Kenneth Collier Jr. says his son never stopped grieving his mother and never wanted to die the way she did.
“And all he would talk about was he didn’t want to die like his mom,” Kenneth Collier, Sr. told Channel 2′s Tom Jones.
But the 17-year-old couldn’t avoid the gun violence that took his mother’s life.
“His mom was murdered on his 10th birthday. Gun Violence. All he talked about was stopping gun violence...preventing it from happening to others,” his father said.
But it happened to the Eagles Landing High School student Thursday night around 8 p.m. at the Residence at Riverside apartments in Cobb County near Austell.
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The teen’s father says he was told he took an Uber with a friend there and someone shot and killed him.
“Man, it hurts. It hurts when you lose someone,” Kenneth Collier, Sr. said.
Jones covered the story back in 2017 when young Kenneth Collier Jr’s mother, Tamika Trimble was killed on his birthday. Collier Jr. was 10 back then. He spoke about how his mother’s murder affected him.
“I was kind of upset about what happened and stuff,” the younger Collier said.
He got emotional when Main Event Entertainment paid for a party for him and 25 guests. The Falcons, Hawks and so many others also celebrated him.
The young Collier then became a crusader against gun violence. But he couldn’t stop it from happening to him. His father says guns are destroying too many lives.
Gun Violence. It’s got to stop. Got to put the guns down. It ain’t worth it. We got to learn how to talk,” his father said.
He said young people have to be careful who they hang with.
“I always try to tell Ken everybody is not your friend son. Be careful who you hang out with,” Kenneth Collier, Sr said.
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Cobb County police say they continue to investigate the shooting. They’re asking anyone with information to contact their Major Crimes Unit at 770-499-3945.
Collier’s family is planning a candlelight vigil at Kiddos Hair Studio at 7 p.m. on Monday.
It will be held at 2879 East Point Street in East Point near City Hall.
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