Friends of Luis Garcia reminisce after teen dies weeks after shooting: "Lost... I'm just lost"

16-year-old Luis Garcia will never play soccer again.

"Lost... I'm just lost," said Santos Garcia, Luis' older brother.

Near the Thatcher Memorial Fountain in City Park, Santos reminisced on his brother's life on Wednesday evening. 

Just over two weeks ago, Luis was shot while sitting in his car outside of East High School. 

After days of fighting to survive, his family took him off of life support Wednesday afternoon. Luis died surrounded by his loved ones when he took his final breath. 

Santos said the hospital room was filled from corner to corner.

"It's like a nightmare to hear all the people you love and you care about crying," Santos said. "He fought. He was just unlucky."

Santos is now hoping to find solace in the memories he's left with. One of Santos' fondest memories with his brother: getting ugly haircuts.

"And I was crying because I thought I looked bad, and he came up to me and told me he was going to get the same thing because he saw that I felt bad and he wanted both of us to look goofy," Santos said.

Soccer teammate Clayton Thomas said Luis was a hard worker, who was caring and loved his friends and family. They two played soccer together for six years.

"Luis was always one to put in extra effort and always do more than any other player on the field," Thomas said. "He would always wake up early to train and stay up late to work out with his brother or friends. We're taking it pretty hard."

Santos and Thomas are left wondering how and why this could happen near school grounds.

"It's not fair for kids to be shot at school, in a place where we should be learning… we have to worry about dying," Thomas said.

Police are still searching for a suspect and a potential motive. On Wednesday, a DPD spokesperson said the case is under investigation. On the day of the shooting, two teens were taken into custody in connection with the shooting, but no one has been charged, specifically related to the shooting. The community is now asking for action from the Denver Public School District and lawmakers.

"How many is it going to take," Santos said.

Santos simply shares these final words for his brother Luis, "que lo amo."

The family has set up a fundraising page to help with funeral expenses. 

Anyone with information on the murder should contact police or Denver Metro Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.

East Students Demand Action is hosting an event Friday in light of all of this violence happening in the community. For more information on that visit: https://bit.ly/3SDxUKV