SAGINAW, MI (WNEM) -
Friends and family met on Saginaw's south side to remember a 22-year-old man who was gunned down on Tuesday.
Mitchell Stanford was sitting in a car with a female friend at County Way Town Homes when a shooter came up to the vehicle and started shooting. This all happened in broad daylight. Stanford was killed.
Thursday night, about 30 of Stanford's close family members and friends met at the spot where he was killed to say a prayer, light candles and release balloons into the air in his remembrance.
"It's important so everybody can get the message that it's very important that we stop the violence, too many of our young people have lost their lives. This is a son, this is a father, a godfather, somebody's family member, and in his memories, we love him," said Lisa Rucker, a family friend.
Rucker was there shortly after Stanford was killed Tuesday afternoon.
"Not only did I hear it, I saw him, I talked to him in the car and tried to talk him back to life, but he was already gone," said Rucker.
Pastor Larry Camel of Parishioners on Patrol was at the gathering Thursday evening. He says the crime needs to stop, and it stops when people start speaking up and telling police what they have witnessed.
"Every murder, every shooting, it's always an effect on the community, on the families, how they have to deal with the trauma of losing their loved ones suddenly," said Camel.
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Mitchell Stanford (Source: Family)
Crime Scene
