18-Year-Old Shooting Victim Still in Need of Blood

Tonight, an update on a shooting that shook Gardenia Village; one young life lost, another still hanging in the balance. Police have made an arrest in connection with the May thirty-first attack, but eighteen-year-old Justin Young continues to fight for his life in hospital. There is some hope tonight, his mother says he is improving and can now breathe on his own, but his recovery is far from over, with more surgeries ahead. The gunfire killed fifteen-year-old Rackeem Armstrong and left Young critically injured when a lone gunman opened fire on a group of family members. Investigators have since charged thirty-four-year-old Dean Vaccaro with murder, attempted murder, and other offenses. Meanwhile, Young’s family is making a heartfelt plea, his mother says blood donations are still urgently needed as he continues this difficult fight to survive.

 

Voice of: Kayla Young, Mother of Shooting Victim

“Me and my kids, I could tell about specifically we are people about love. And I don’t know what the concern may be about, I don’t know what the verdict may be about, but I just want tell the person or whosoever, the conspiracy or whatever happened, is that there was a better way to it. They could have confront me, the mother, and tell me, ’cause I deal with my kids them, and I may do whatsoever for make it never lead this far to where it lead. The only thing I thank God for is that he’s still alive. It hurts so much. And all we still can’t believe. It’s like a dream, as I said. We not believe, we not swear fi nobody, right? But, all I say is that their kids, especially the two weh  that got shot was two totally innocent boys. I could swear it. Plus the Rackeem, weh dead. They leave boy there in a second form at Ladyville Tech. That the baby for my cousin, and she done just like me. We are all for our kids.”

 

Although police have formally made an arrest, the investigation remains ongoing. Interested donors can contact Young at 655-2480.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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