Loved ones remember 19-year-old student killed in Philadelphia mass shooting: "He was not a bad kid"
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The loved ones of 19-year-old Maurice White are in disbelief that a young man with so much promise is gone.
"He was not a bad kid," said Stephanie Devore. "He was my little nephew."
White was a student at Bartram High School. Devore said he was set to graduate in two weeks. Now instead of planning a graduation party, his family is planning his funeral.
"He's very, very popular," she said. "No violence. No nothing. When I say nothing, I barely even saw him argue with people."
Police say he was killed in a mass shooting on Salford Street near Kingsessing in Southwest Philadelphia. The 19-year-old was among nine people shot.
"This feels like a dream," said Saul Landers from the Philadelphia-based group, Yungest in Charge.
Those who knew White well say he was a young man who was loved. They also say he threw parties for young people to give them a positive experience.
The mass shooting happened around the same time White organized a party.
"He said this was his last party, but who would've ever thought that this really would've been his last party," Devore said.
White's family and friends joined Mayor Cherelle Parker, Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel and other city leaders in the same area where he took his last breath.
City leaders denounced the violence and offered emotional support for community members who are struggling with the tragedy.
Landers, who was also White's mentor, believes more needs to be done to help the city's youth.
"We need things right now. We need these rec centers. We just opened back [up] 65th and Elmwood. We need funding to go in these rec centers to help with different events to give these kids things to do," Landers said.