Update: Police have arrested a suspect in connection with a 17-year-old’s shooting death at his home in LaVergne.
Original story:
A community is mourning after a La Vergne High School student was shot and killed in his own driveway.
It's hard to put into words what it feels like to lose a son. Kristie Garcia said her 17-year-old son, Justin 'Tony' Garcia, was well loved.
"This has been very rough for my family, and it’s been very rough for the community," Garcia said.
Over the weekend she laid Justin to rest. His brother, Austin, comforted his mom as they remembered the good times they had as a family.
"He was smart. He took care of others. He would give you the shirt off his back, that’s the way my baby was," Garcia said, "Everybody who knew him, loved him."
Justin was a good student, and he dreamed of working in the music industry one day.
Austin Garcia said, "That’s how he expressed himself, was through music, so I’m glad he found that way to express himself."
Last Tuesday, Kristie said Justin had a couple friends over when he saw someone pull into the driveway. He went outside to check it out, and he was shot around 8:20p.m. as Kristie was driving home from work. A light-colored SUV was seen leaving the Center Street area. Justin died at the hospital.
"It’s senseless," Garcia said, "Somebody, somewhere, needs to stand up and say that they saw them."
La Vergne police officers are still searching for Deonte' Moore who is considered a person of interest.
"They’re still looking for him, they’re running down every single lead they’re getting. They’re working tirelessly. La Vergne has just been a Godsend," Garcia said.
The community will be on edge until this homicide case is closed.
"This violence cannot stand. We cannot keep this on, it’s got to stop," Garcia said.
A vigil was held in the La Vergne High School parking lot at 6 p.m. on Monday in his honor.
If you have any information on the homicide, call the La Vergne Police Department at (615) 793-7744 or the Rutherford County Crime Stoppers at (615) 893-7867 (STOP).
