Community says final farewell to Izaiah Carter, teen shot near Patterson High
BALTIMORE - Family, friends and community members came together Tuesday afternoon to say goodbye to a 16-year-old who was shot and killed on March 6 in East Baltimore.
The funeral for Izaiah Carter, a student at Patterson High School, was held at March Funeral Home in East Baltimore.
There were plenty of hugs and some of the embraces lingered a little longer.
The support was needed because the pain was too much.
"He was very funny, very funny, smiling and brighten the room. He can find the bright in any dark situation," said Richard Christmas, Carter's uncle. "Keep your loved ones close. You never know when someone else is going to be gone next to you. You can see them one day, they're gone the next."
Carter was a JROTC cadet at the school. His fellow cadets were also present at the funeral.
Those who knew him told WJZ that he was "shy, kind of goofy and got along great with everyone.
"Really kind of shy, kind of goofy, got along great with everyone," said Ricky Johnson, an owner and a chef at Forno, where Izaiah worked. "[He] had a lot of curiosity for, you know, what's that? What's that? What's that?"
Johnson said Carter's cousin and father also worked at the restaurant. His father was a chef there and it was a family affair with a strong support system.
Carter was shot shortly before school dismissal at Joseph E. Lee Park, near Patterson High, on March 6. He was taken to the hospital where he died.
A 23-year-old man, identified as Roger Alexander Alvarado-Mendoza, was arrested in Texas as he was trying to flee the country, according to police.
Mendoza, previously arrested in Baltimore in 2018, is waiting to be extradited back to Baltimore where he will officially be charged.
"None of this feels real. I knew it couldn't be a joke because nobody would ever joke like this," said Michelle Hines, Carter's mother as she recounted the moment she learned her son had been shot.
At least 27 teens have been shot in Baltimore City in 2023, and at least seven teens have been killed.
"When we get support from members of our community and we have witness information, this is how we turn cases around and bring closure to families that much faster," said Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison.
Previous Coverage
- Man accused of killing Baltimore teen arrested in Texas while trying to leave country
- 'My son is gone': Mother questioned security measures weeks before Patterson High student's death
- Slain Patterson High School student was shy, charming and motivated, family says
- Baltimore restaurant Forno to hold happy hour fundraiser for Izaiah Carter's family
