FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – When the first shot was fired, little Jalik Johnson was in the football field. He said he thought there were fireworks. But when more gun shots followed, others recognized the terrifying sound.
Jalik said everybody just started running off the football field at the Mills Pond Park, 2201 NW Ninth Ave., in Fort Lauderdale.
Jalik would never see his Fort Lauderdale Hurricanes youth football coach again. Dave Williams -- a 43-year-old DJ and business owner who was better known as "Coach Disco Dave" -- was the target of the shooting.
"It should have never been him," Jalik said. "He was a good guy. He always gave us dollars after practice."
Before Williams ended up on the ground bleeding in the parking lot, he had brought Jalik and his teammates cookies and Gatorade. He was shot about 8:44 p.m., Thursday.
Jalik was back at the crime scene on Friday night. He prayed with his mom at a small memorial at the parking spot where Williams was shot. There were about two dozen white candles and stuffed animals.
Williams, a member of the Florida Youth Football League's Fort Lauderdale Hurricanes youth football club, died on his way to Broward Health Medical Center. His friends shared pictures of him as a 2014 Florida State University graduate.
Grief counselors will be at the memorial to try to comfort them on Saturday. The children who play for the Hurricanes won't be playing against the Miami Gardens Chiefs this weekend.
Lauderdale Police Department Detective Tracy Figone said they were still searching for the killer.
Police were asking anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477, Detective Orlando Almanzar at 954-828-5546 or Detective Mark Breen at 954-828-5708.