Boy's Senseless Shooting Death Modesto Leaves Modesto Community In Shock
MODESTO (CBS13) — A community is coming together after a 5-year-old boy was gunned down in front of a home in an apparent drive-by shooting.
Modesto police officers say it all happened Saturday evening as the boy and his friend were outside playing in the front yard.
Xavier Smith, 5, brought so much love to his home in Modesto. He was a very active boy who knew just how to light up a room.
"He loved everybody. He really did. He touched a lot of people's hearts," said father, Marcus Smith.
Smith's loved ones have a broken heart after Xavier was killed in an apparent drive-by shooting right in his front yard.
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"Anytime, anybody seen him, they would compliment him on how cute he was, he would have the biggest smile on his face. He would dance for people, he just loved everybody," said Smith.
Xavier's grandmother, Leticia Smith says the family was getting ready to celebrate his birthday in two weeks. He loved sports and was a member of the central valley jets, a little league he loved to play in.
"The garage door was open. So, there is no way that person, that coward didn't see that there were children present," she said.
Family members created a memorial outside their home. It's filled with candles, toys and pictures including some of his best moments on the team.
"This coward has not only taken my grandson from us but he's caused destruction to this other child because his best friend is gone, his playmate is gone, this is very hard," said Smith.
The second child injured was a family friend and Xavier's teammate. They were so close they often called each other cousins. During church on Sunday, faith leaders prayed for Xavier, his family and other victims of gun violence.
"To just drive by and to just shoot into a garage where children are playing is a person that has totally lost all sense of reality and also sense of having any type of feelings for other people at all. Of course, the family is devastated," said Glen Berteau of The House.
Detectives with the Modesto Police Department say there are no suspects and no motive.
