'Kids should be allowed to go trick-or-treating': Boy, 13, mourned after Halloween slaying in Indiana - WAGM

HAMMOND, Ind. (WLS) - “He just wanted to be a kid. He wanted to be a kid. Kids should be allowed to go trick-or-treating,” said Jasmine Anderson, the mother of 13-year-old Thomas DeLaCruz.

She and her family are devastated and furious that Thomas lost his life on Halloween night.

“Kids shouldn’t have to worry about if somebody’s going to roll up on them and shoot them down while trying to collect candy with friends and have fun,” Anderson said.

She said her son loved to play sports and video games, and just celebrated his birthday last month.

Candles, flowers, balloons and dozens of supporters were part of a vigil in Hammond Thursday night to remember the boy who police said was shot trick-or-treating with friends.

Investigators believe a car pulled up and fired at the group Thomas was with after one of the shooters had exchanged words with someone earlier. The shooting happened at 7:30 p.m.

“We heard about seven shots, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. And we looked at each other and we said, that’s gunfire,” a witness said.

After the gunfire, neighbors helped police, chasing one of the suspects down until he was arrested.

The boy’s family said they are grateful to those who took action.

“The men, the fathers that got out there and made it their job to stop that mad person, they took him down and they held him there until the police came. And I thank them so much,” Anderson said.

Copyright 2021 WLS via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.

Adblock test (Why?)

Article From & Read More ( 'Kids should be allowed to go trick-or-treating': Boy, 13, mourned after Halloween slaying in Indiana - WAGM )
https://ift.tt/3035bs6