Family grieves death of 15-year-old boy shot near elementary school in West Baltimore
BALTIMORE -- The family of 15-year-old Rashid Maxwell, who was murdered near an elementary school in West Baltimore on Monday, told WJZ his story ended too soon.
Maxwell was shot and killed near Gilmor Elementary School.
He is described by his family as someone with a big sense of humor and was also looking forward to his first day at a new school.
"I just wish I could give him a hug and tell him that I love him," his cousin Kendra Johnson said.
Maxwell was shot and killed less than a month before his 16th birthday.
"If he knows that you're mad or something, he will just joke, just start cracking on people," Johnson said. "Anyone that knows him knows he will try to make you laugh. He was just a happy little kid."
Police said Maxwell was found outside of the school suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He later died in the hospital.
"I was just mad that I didn't see him earlier that day because he normally comes to my house asking me for a snack or something to drink or something that they need," Johnson said.
Maxwell's mother did not want to appear on camera but she shared photos of her son hoping to show the world how she saw him.
"His mother cannot sleep at night," Johnson said. "She can't even come back to her residence, because she just can't, it's too much."
In a news conference Tuesday, Baltimore Police said their homicide detectives are making progress in the case.
"It was a brutal murder of a 15-year-old young man," Baltimore's Acting Police Commissioner Richard Worley said. "They have some good information and I am pretty confident we are going to close that case soon."
"We just hope that y'all just come out because we need justice," Johnson added.
Anyone with information should call police at 410-396-2100 or Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP.