Loved Ones, Girard College Community Holds Vigil For Kris Minners, Killed In South Street Mass Shooting
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A residential advisor for Girard College was one of two bystanders killed in the Saturday night mass shooting on South Street. Family, friends, and the Girard College community gathered Tuesday night to remember Kris Minners.
His best friend opened up about what happened as the gunfire erupted.
He was doing everything right -- a teacher, a mentor -- when something went terribly wrong.
"I miss you, Mr. Minners," a student said.
"We was out there and I seen they was fighting up there so once I saw somebody pull out a gun I'm like 'Yo, we got to be out.' So five seconds later all we hear was shots go off," Taufiq Williams said.
Williams says he was with his best friend, Kristopher Minners, Saturday night when bullets started flying on South Street.
"After one, there was another one. After that one they just kept going off so it had to be more than 30 shots, it had to be," Williams said.
The two ran in opposite directions and Minners was fatally shot in the back. The 22-year-old was one of two victims, along with a gunman, killed in the mass shooting that left at least 12 others injured.
"My little brother, he was such a good kid and he wasn't supposed to get shot at all. Not saying anyone is, but I just knew that he was gonna make it out. I thought -- I would've bet my last that he would've made it out until we got the news that my brother didn't," said Marcus Dukes, the victim's brother.
Minners was a former student and residential advisor who worked with sixth and second-grade boys at Girard College.
Some of those students and staff attended a vigil and balloon release Tuesday evening on the Girard College campus.
"Kris loved everyone. What's my thing? It's not everyone hates Kris, everyone loves Kris," the victim's father Keith Selby said.
The school is now using the way he lived and the way his life was taken to push for change.
"I want our young people not to know what this feels like. I don't want them to feel this again but I want them to make sure that when they graduate from here they are moving into the world and helping change the world," Girard College interim president James Turner said.
Minners was given the residential advisor award in March and now that award will officially be named after him. His family says they stand with all victims of gun violence and as they push for tougher penalties for gun violence offenders.
