INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (Feb. 29, 2016) — An Indianapolis teen was killed because of comments made on Twitter, court documents say.
The deadly shooting took place earlier this month on the northwest side. Jerrold Parker, 18, died after being shot multiple times.
“My family is just devastated,” said Parker’s mother Sanekah Jackson-Jones. “He was taken away for nothing.”
Sanekah’s son loved baseball and music and had been just weeks away from graduating high school.
Although it’s been four weeks since the murder, the family’s grief remains fresh.
“It’s the same pain. It plays every day. It’s hard,” said Jackson-Jones.
Prosecutors claim several eyewitnesses identified 19-year-old Devin Leggett as the triggerman.
He is now charged with murder, leaving Parker’s mother with more questions than relief.
“I can’t have my son back. I thought I would be jumping for joy that they caught somebody, instead I’m like why? What made you do this?” said Jackson-Jones.
According to the affidavit, Parker and a friend took to Twitter and told the suspect and his friends they “couldn’t rap.”
That set off a feud that ended in Parker’s death.
The victim’s mother says the trivial nature of the motive absolutely makes her sick.
“It’s very heartbreaking to know your child is gone over something so silly and so simple,” said Jackson-Jones.
Jackson hopes her son’s death shows the city’s youth how foolish and painful it can be to resolve their conflicts using guns.
“I think the only thing I want kids to understand is you have to think before you do things,” said Jackson-Jones. “It amazes me how something so simple turned into something so big and it just doesn’t make sense.”
In addition to murder, Leggett is also charged with carrying a handgun without a license.
Parker’s death made headlines in part because he was one of two teens killed on the same night in Indianapolis.
In a completely separate shooting, 16-year-old Jaylen Murray got shot to death on the northeast side.
Police don’t have any suspects in that case.
