Emotional vigil held in Savannah to honor two recent teenage victims of gun violence

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) -Dozens of community members gathered in the Savannah Garden neighborhood for a vigil to remember two teenagers who died to gun violence last week.

These deaths are still recent and you could see the high emotions from families and friends.

There were cries to end the violence, put the guns away and keep these children safe.

“The vision was to get as many people out here hearing the same story that we’ve been talking about forever and ever,” said Alderwoman Linda Wilder-Bryan.

The vigil brought people together under one cause.

“Stop the violence”

Savannah Police say Alexis Milton Junior was 16 when he was shot and killed last Friday on LaRoche Avenue.

“My son was trying to graduate, he was in 11th grade. He was my only boy and he got three sisters,” said Crystal Polk, Milton’s mother.

The vigil was held at the place where 17-year-old Shinobi Pitts was shot on Thursday along Pennsylvania Avenue.

Both families attended the vigil.

“We want people to see that we got your back,” Wilder-Bryan said.

Wilder-Bryan was one of multiple mothers that showed up who had also lost a child from gun violence.

Another attendee affected by gun violence is Olga Williams, who says there’s one way to show support to these grieving families.

“All a family needs is love,” Williams said. “They don’t need you to say anything don’t open your mouth and say the wrong thing, families need love.”

Alderwoman Wilder-Bryan and others at the vigil called for harsher sentencing for gun violence, keeping accountability and disallowing bond for convicted killers.

“There must be accountability because justice does not give you a grandson or a granddaughter,” Wilder-Bryan said. “It does not call you and say ‘grandma how you doing’ or ‘mom you okay?’”

“Our fight is not going in vain,” Williams said. “Because when a community comes together, that’s powerful. So it makes your heart feel just a little happier.”

The family of Alexis Milton Junior will be holding a candlelight for him next Thursday at the Ponderosa apartments, where he died.