‘We’ll hurt forever’: Family of 19-year-old murder victim gathers
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - A family is mourning their daughter that was killed in Wrens on Saturday.
Someone shot and killed Khia Shields less than two weeks after her 19th birthday.
The GBI says she was inside her house when shots were fired from outside. They aren’t sure if the suspect was on foot or in a car.
She came into her mom’s room and said she’d been shot in the chest.
It’s news a family never wants to hear.
“You know, she’s just gonna be missed,” said Charles Pitts, Shields’ uncle.
Her family held a balloon release in honor of Shields on Thursday.
“It just shows how much she was loved and what she meant to the community,” said Pitts.
A crowd of at least one hundred people gathered, singing, praying, and hoping nothing like this ever happens again.
The crowd chanted ‘Enough is enough’ in reference to gun violence. Now the family is looking for answers.
“Justice, justice. I mean, we will never heal. No, this right here will always be there. We’ll hurt forever. But we would love to have justice not only for Khia, but for anybody who’s going through a situation like this,” said Pitts.
Local law enforcement says they are doing everything they can.
“We have, without a doubt, followed up on every single lead that we’ve been given. The different kinds of vehicles we’ve been told about, the different names that we’ve been told about. We have followed up on every single one of them, or they are next in line to be followed up on. That’s why it’s important for give us what information that you may have,” said John Maynard, Chief of Police in Wrens.
But he says they also need help from the community.
“We have to have help from the community, we have to,” said Maynard.
But for now Shields’ family is leaning on each other through this difficult time.
“Just being there for each other, praying and you know, time to cope. Day by day. Like I said we will never heal. But we will learn to cope with it, day by day,” said Pitts.
The community has also come together and raised over $3,000 for anyone who has information relating to Shields’ death, but more money is still being raised.
There was another balloon release held on Thursday. The family of a murder victim held a balloon release on Thursday to mark the one year anniversary of his death.
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