LAUDERDALE LAKES, Fla. – A South Florida family is in mourning after a teen was shot and killed in Lauderdale Lakes.
According to a witness, 16-year-old Amari’s last words were “I love you, mom” and “this hurts.”
The boy’s mother and aunt spoke to Local 10 News but did not want to reveal their identities out of fear.
“It’s just unbelievable, hardest thing ever,” said the victim’s aunt.
The family says they believe Amari was set up.
“I don’t know his friends,” said his mother. “I know he was with friends.”
Neighbors recounted the moment two teens were ambushed and shot Monday night along Northwest 30th Terrace.
“He got shot in the face, so he went down immediately,” one resident said. “And then the shooter just stood on top of him and kept on shooting after he fell.”
One neighbor who witnessed the shooting, in which Amari was killed and a 15-year-old was shot in the arm, claims he saw the gunman lying in wait for the victims to arrive.
“I saw immediately the kid with the one hand, pulling the trigger on the gun, shooting the two kids,” the neighbor said. “And it all happened in the span of five seconds -- it happened so fast.”
Another neighbor jumped in to help, saying the 16-year-old was shot three times.
“I tried to just assist or whatever I knew how to do,” the neighbor said. “Keep him on his side, and just keep him till help arrived.”
That’s when he heard Amari’s final words.
“‘I love you mom,’ ‘I love my mom’ or something,” he said. “But it hurts.”
Those words will stay with his family for a lifetime.
The family has created a GoFundMe page to help with Amari’s funeral expenses.
Anyone with information on the shooting is urged to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.