Dozens gather to honor Raleigh teen who were killed in accidental shootout :: wral.com

Family and friends gathered on Saturday to honor the life of a teenager Raleigh a week earlier.

More than 200 people honored Clarence Kelly's life in John Chavis Memorial Park.

On Saturday, March 8, police officers responded to reports on a shootout this morning in an apartment complex on Buck Jones Road. They transported the victim, which was later identified as Kelly, to the hospital with life -threatening injuries.

The 17 -year -old Kelly died of his injuries on Friday.

Kelly's mother Dieha Patterson described her son as happy and a young man who loved dancing and talking.

“We were just together two days ago,” she said. “I never thought that it had been the last two days that I spent with my son.”

The people present wore shirts that were decorated with photos from Kelly as a child, and remembered his laugh and love for basketball.

“Even if we lost, he was a happy child,” said one person.

The Raleigh police said that they examined the shootout as an accident and that there are no charges.

Many said there are still a few questions about his death, and community activists said he shouldn't be another life.

Some of the groups present were Katch the Kite Youth Outreach who wanted to encourage young people to steer their pain into a purpose.

“If we cannot be safe, we cannot be free,” sang some activists.

Katch The Kite offers peer-to-peer support and conflict decisions. The group will hold two meetings for teen -talk -Tuesday in the coming weeks.

You will take place on Tuesday, March 18 and April 1st in the Saint Monica Teen Center from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.