"They do not condone the violence:" Family of young boys killed in crash, shooting sad over loss of Archie Brown
MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- A vigil was held near 48th and Glendale in Milwaukee on Tuesday evening, April 14th to remember two-year-old Damani Terry and his 15-year-old brother Rasheed Chiles. Terry was killed on Sunday when he was hit by a van driven by 40-year-old Archie Brown. Brown and Chiles were killed in a shooting that followed that crash. FOX6 News has learned there are plans to bring together the families of the two young boys and Archie Brown for a vigil Wednesday.
While the boys' relatives were too overcome with emotion to speak with FOX6 News Tuesday evening, a family friend says they are grieving for two families now forever linked by what happened on Sunday evening.
A mother's cries pierced the air during Tuesday night's vigil.
"Rekeisha came to her nephew`s (birthday) party (Sunday) with four children. She left with two," Stephanie Townsend said.
Rasheed Chiles & Damani Terry
Ricky Chiles
Police sources tell FOX6 News they are looking for the boys' uncle -- 27-year-old Ricky Chiles. He is believed to be the man who pulled the trigger Sunday -- shooting and killing Brown and injuring Rasheed Chiles. The 15-year-old boy died at the hospital during surgery. The family believes Rasheed Chiles died as a result of a stray bullet.
"I heard he was trying to pick his brother up. He was trying to hold him and save him. He was a nurturer. That`s what he did," Townsend said.
Ricky Chiles has a robbery conviction from 2011.
As the family struggles with the loss of two young boys, they're offering sympathy to Brown's family as well.
"They do not condone the violence. They do not condone Mr. Brown getting killed. They do not justify the act," Townsend said.
Pastor Malcolm Hunt led prayer during Tuesday's vigil. He says the next step is publicly bringing these two families together. He hopes that sight will send a message that will be powerful enough to prevent future violence.
"Both families, we wanna sit down and talk and show this city it`s time to come together," Hunt said.
"I really feel like in order for us to truly make a statement, both families need to have some kind of reconciliation together," Townsend said.
A vigil scheduled for Wednesday evening will be held at 48th and Glendale in honor of Archie Brown. It is then that Hunt hopes we will see these families come together.