Family and friends host vigil for teen shot to death in Michigan City
Family and friends of 15-year-old Kamilion Jenkins held a vigil to remember her Wednesday at the place where she was shot and killed the night before.
“She was gonna be something with herself, and whoever took her life, you gonna rot in hell. You gonna pay for it,” said Jenkins’ cousin, Jamie Peterson.
With songs, candles, and a releasing of balloons, 15-year-old Kamilion Jenkins’ family and friends mourned her loss Wednesday evening.
“She was just so little. She just—she didn’t deserve that,” said Peterson.
Jenkins was shot Tuesday night when the car she was riding in with her brother’s girlfriend, her baby niece, and their cousin, stopped at the intersection of Grace and Holliday streets.
They drove to the Michigan City Police Department just blocks away, where one officer tried to help save Jenkins, but it was too late.
“This is a terrible loss. Let’s take this, and let’s turn it around today,” said her grandfather, Donald Hogan.
To start moving on, they’re remembering their Milly.
“Everybody loved my sister. She loved to dance, sing. She was goofy just like me. It’s crazy that she gone, man,” said her sister, Alexis Tompkins.
“She was sweet, lovable, caring, and she was going somewhere in this life,” said Hogan.
Their favorite memory was her laugh, which her sister demonstrated for us.
“All the time, even if she knows she’s getting on your nerves, she’s still gonna do it,” said her older sister, Sierra Richard.
Now, they’re looking to God and each other to move on.
“He didn’t bring us this far for us to destroy each other. He brought us this far for us to be help, hope, compassion, love, hope, friends. That’s what we gotta do. We gotta turn this thing around ya’ll,” said Jenkins’ grandfather.
“Look at all her friends. Most of everybody out here are friends. Everybody loved her,” said Richard.
Kamilion’s sister says they still plan to celebrate her sweet sixteen with a party this year, so check back in with ABC 57 for more details.
ABC 57 will continue to follow this investigation as police search for suspects.