LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) of Las Vegas hosted a candlelight vigil for a 17-year-old boy who was shot and killed on Halloween night.
SeMauri Johnson’s family joined friends and community leaders on Monday night in his honor.
“It shouldn’t be scary for you to go out as a kid on Halloween, and then to be murdered. That’s the last thing we were thinking would happen,” Breyonna Jones said.
Jones remembers her boyfriend, 17-year-old SeMauri Norris-Johnson, who was killed near Tropical and Camino Eldorado Parkways.
According to North Las Vegas Police, SeMauri and a group of teenage boys, wearing ski masks, got out of a car and approached two trick-or-treaters. That’s when shots were fired, killing SeMauri.
His girlfriend wanted to make it clear that violence was in no way a part of SeMauri’s life.
“We don’t play with guns, gangbang, or do anything of that sort. We’re athletes and focus on our grades,” Jones said.
NAACP community leaders hosted the vigil not only to honor SeMauri but to also bring more awareness to the ever-growing problem that is gun violence within the black community.
“You should be able to be safe within your community. We are not barbarians or neanderthals,” President of the NAACP Las Vegas Chapter, Quentin Savwoir said.
Friends of the teen boy said that going out for them looks different now, something as kids they never thought they would have to worry about.
“We had a big sit down at school the day after it happened, sitting there crying. SeMauri was an amazing person. It’s been hard on everybody,” Jaylin Davis said.
“You got to be more cautious and approach everything differently,” added GG, another one of SeMauri’s friends.
A fundraiser is scheduled for Tuesday at Desert Pines High School.
Fund Youth Sports has set up an online fundraising campaign in Johnson’s honor. For more information click HERE.
