Sacramento neighbors, activists want change after Grant High student shot and killed
SACRAMENTO - A Sacramento high school senior was getting ready to graduate, but instead of measuring his cap and gown, his family is measuring his casket.
Jeremiah Walker, 18, was shot and killed Sunday morning by what family says is a stray bullet after a house party in Natomas.
Walker's grandfather, Mervin Brookins, Sr., is a prominent community activist in Sacramento. Brookins is the CEO of Brother 2 Brother Mentoring. His mission, and something he's worked extremely hard toward, is to prevent shootings like this.
Now, he is with his family living through this tragedy.
"Broken-hearted man. There's no—just broken-hearted," Brookins said.
Brookins spoke with CBS13 Sunday night just hours after his grandson was shot. Their bond was thicker than blood.
"I just adopted him as my grandson and was just there for him," he said.
Brother 2 Brother Mentoring aims to transform and empower the lives of at-risk youth.
"It was created not for the Jeremiahs," Brookins said, "but the person that shot Jeremiah. That is our goal. Those are the men we are trying to reach to get them to understand that once you pick up a gun, your life changes forever."
"The bigger issue is guns in the hands of kids," Berry Accius said. "How do we continue to see young kids have guns before they have opportunities?"
Accius has worked with Brookins before and is the Founder of Voice of the Youth.
We interviewed him alongside a neighbor in this Natomas community, both of whom want to see justice for Jeremiah and accountability.
"I was on the scene with his mother for 13 hours. What I seen her go through, it changed my life," the neighbor, Obreaya Barber, said.
She's lived in Natomas for 17 years.
"The ball is being dropped from the top and it's going all the way down to the bottom, and that's why we are here today," she said.
Barber and Accius wonder how teenagers got into the home on Buchman Street and threw a party.
In a statement, the homeowner, who did not want to be identified, said:
"I was out of town with family when I received a phone call from Sacramento police... The people at my home were unauthorized to be there. I hope the community works together to help catch the person who did this. It's sad to see such senseless violence in the community I grew up in. My heart goes out to the family."
Some neighbors want to see policy change so renters or partiers can't come back into this neighborhood, and so something like this never happens again.
"I hate to break their summer parties or what might significantly happen," Accius said. "Unless we want more of these moments, someone has to do something about it."
Jeremiah's mother and auntie sent a statement, saying: "Thank you for all of the outpouring support that has ripped our family apart> We are deeply saddened by this loss of Jeremiah who was a beautiful soul and so much more life to live."
We are told there could be a vigil for Walker sometime this week.
Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg on Monday released a statement on Walker's killing, saying:
"I am deeply saddened by the loss of life and the great suffering that has occurred in our Grant Union High School community once again. My thoughts are with the family and friends of Jeremiah Walker. Grant Union High School is a great place, a great community, and there is so much good that happens every single day there. Please do not lose hope as we mourn this tragedy. You are not alone."