Family Holds Balloon Release For 'Gentle Soul' 17-Year-Old Nasir Muhammad, Gunned Down In Front Of Mom's Home
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Family members say 17-year-old Nasir Muhammad was shot in front of his own home on Thursday and later died from his injuries. On Saturday night, the community released several balloons in his memory.
This is yet another shooting in Philadelphia. The victim was shot multiple times, but his family held onto hope.
"He was a gentle soul," Nasir's godmother said.
The pain, too harsh to bear. Loved ones released balloons into the sky Saturday for a life taken too soon.
"We tried everything that we could to keep him out of the streets," Nasir's godmother said, "and the fact that just sitting on your doorstep, in front of your mom home can get you killed and murdered and slaughtered in front of your own home. Are we living in Iraq or is this Philadelphia?"
Nasir was only 17 years old.
His godmother didn't want to show her face on camera, but she said the teen was motivated, loved to play basketball, and make others smile.
"He was a good kid. He loved to smile, dress, and make sure everybody in the room was happy and laughing when he entered the room," she said.
Now they want justice.
Just before 5:30 p.m. on Thursday on the 2200 block of North Lawrence Street in front of his mom's home, Nasir was shot multiple times in the chest and head.
A private vehicle rushed him to Temple University Hospital, where he was listed in critical conditions.
Days later, his family confirmed that Nasir succumbed to those injuries.
"Where do our kids go to have peace at 17 years old? Where do we go for resources? Where do we go for justice?" his godmother said. "It took the detective hours to come and do their job, and my 6-year-old nephew found some bullets on the ground after we came home after the detective was home."
A 30-year-old was also shot once in the buttocks and is expected to survive.
So far, there are no arrests and the weapon has not been recovered.
