Vigil Held For Teen Youth Leader Murdered In The City
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A promising young athlete and student is gunned down in West Baltimore. As family and friends gather to remember Michael Mayfield, his killer is still on the loose.
Monique Griego has more on Mayfield and the investigation.
Mayfield had everything going for him and had just been accepted to college. Those who knew him still can't believe he's gone.
A huge crowd of family and friends of Michael Mayfield gather on the James Mosher Baseball Field. The diamond where the promising young athlete first learned to play is now where his loved ones have come to mourn.
"This is so tragic that you cannot describe it. You cannot understand why it's happened," one man said.
The 17-year-old was shot and killed Wednesday evening on Lyndhurst Avenue. He was just weeks away from graduating high school and heading to college.
"I just didn't want to believe it. It just hurt me," said Deonte Grand, teammate.
Mayfield was not only a standout pitcher, he was a star ROTC student and youth ambassador--not someone anyone thought would lose their life so tragically.
"When I found out, my chest started hurting, I couldn't breathe. It was just such a shock," said teammate Jordan Clark.
Fellow baseball players from Edmondson High School describe Mayfield as a mentor and positive role model.
"He would motivate you to do bigger and better things," said teammate Shawtrez Dawson.
"'When we all lose, we lose as a team.' That's what he used to say. We all had to stay motivated," said Stefon Glover, teammate.
Mayfield's sister, who raised him after their mother died, spoke about the family's devastating loss.
"I felt so sick. I felt like I was going to pass out, I wasn't going to make it," she said.
Police are still looking for the gunman that shot Mayfield. This week, investigators went door-to-door hoping to drum up leads. His family is hopeful this horrible murder will be made right.
"This was not for him and justice will come upon ya'll," his sister said.
In addition to playing baseball, Mayfield was also in the school band. He was hoping to pursue both of those passions in college.
Anyone with information is asked to call Baltimore City Police at 410-396-2100.
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