Sisters remember South Bend shooting victim

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SOUTH BEND, Ind. – For the first time, we're hearing from Saturday morning's murder victim's family. The victim in that shooting is 37-year-old Eric Phillips of Benton Harbor. 

Phillips’ sister describe Eric as hilarious and mischievous, but mostly importantly, as a man who will be missed greatly.

“I felt like an immediate drop,” said Natasha King. “I just was hoping that it was like a misunderstanding.”

Two sisters in Houston, Texas, are shocked over the death of their oldest brother in South Bend. 

“We still in denial and don’t think it’s true,” said Terra Phillips. “I just want to know what happened and how it happened and bring justice for my brother.”

Early Saturday morning, an off-duty police officer found 37-year-old Eric Phillips dead with multiple gunshot wounds in the parking lot of the McConnell Family Boathouse on Northside Blvd.

Eric’s sisters said Eric had been in trouble before, but was working to turn around his life. The Berrien County Prosecutor’s Office told ABC57 Phillips had, “Quite a record in Berrien County”.

“I’m still in disbelief,” said Terra Phillips.

Terra and Natasha described Eric as a fun-loving guy.

“He had a big heart,” said King. “He would take care of you.”

They added Eric had a passion for music.

“He loved music,” said King. “He was really trying to get some of his music out there. He had just made a mix tape.”

“He never gave up and he always tried,” said Terra Phillips.

His sisters said Eric had an even bigger heart for Benton Harbor, the place he lived his entire life.   

“I was trying to talk to him and tell him could he move here, could he come with us, and his answer was, ‘No. That’s what everybody’s problem is. We want to leave our community and go somewhere else and make money and help other people with money. We need to stay here and help our community up,’” said Terra Phillips.

“Last month he came her,” said King. “We had a wonderful time and we consider that God’s gift. We really want justice to be served.”

“Life isn’t valued anymore,” said King. “Like you can go and kill somebody and not think anything of it, but that person is somebody’s brother, somebody’s son, somebody’s uncle, like they were loved.”

No arrests have been made in Phillips’ case. ABC57 previously reported officials were looking for a possible second victim, but at this hour, no new information on the search for that person has been released.

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