x
Breaking News
More () »

Great-great-grandmother of 7-year-old boy killed on July 4th urges community to "save our babies"

Ride of Tears held their first event of the year on Wednesday in remembrance of lives lost to gun violence.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — St. Jude Children's Hospital was one of two locations Ride of Tears organizers visited on Wednesday, with them was the great-great-grandmother of a 7-year-old boy who lost his life in a drive-by shooting.

If you met Kelby Shorty, you couldn't help but smile.

He was a Spiderman fan, devoted gamer and rising second-grader, but his life was cut short when he was hit in a drive-by shooting.

"Somebody just riding, doing something stupid, crazy and took his life, “ said his great-great-grandmother, Mary Godwin.

She gathered and prayed with Ride of Tears organizers who stopped at Memphis children's hospitals to honor those lost to gun violence.

She said she's had enough.

"Stop the violence, stop the killing. Save our babies," she said.

Kelby was doing what kids do when he was struck by a bullet. He was watching fireworks on the Fourth of July last year

"He liked to play football, he liked to have fun,” she shared. “Liked to do his video games."

The suspects have since been arrested and charged.

"Think about what y'all just did,” Godwin said. “Y'all young. What was the purpose of that? Why?"

Although Kelby's gone, his family said their memories of him will keep them smiling.

Before You Leave, Check This Out