ROCKDALE COUNTY, Ga. — Around a hundred family and friends gathered in Conyers Saturday afternoon for a balloon release in memory of 18-year-old, Justin Etienne.
Etienne died Wednesday at Denny Dobbs Park in Newton County after being shot and killed during a Senior Skip Day event.
Police said Jarvis Hinton Jr., 16, of Covington, is facing charges of murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm by a person under the age of 18 and reckless conduct.
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“A lot of this senseless gun violence needs to stop,” Etienne’s father, Hugh Neil said. “Young kids are not living to 20.”
Saturday, family, and friend shared memories of Etienne during the memorial at Earl O’Neal Park.
“Everyone said my son was the nicest kid ever,” said Etienne’s mother, Tierra Neil. “He was the most caring, genuine, he did not deserve this.”
His parents say Justin was a senior on the soccer team at Salem High School.
He had already been accepted to Georgia State University, but they say he was waiting on his SAT scores Friday to see if he got into Kennesaw State.
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Now, they say instead of planning where he is going to college. They are now planning a funeral.
“I wish I was there to stand in front of those bullets to take it for my child. Y’all might as well kill me too,” said Tierra Neil. “I don’t even know how I’m going to get through this.”
His family is still planning his funeral services. The family set up a GoFundMe to help them pay for it.
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