CANTON, Ohio — Hundreds gathered to remember the life of a Sylvia McGhee, the teen who was shot and killed in Canton Friday night at the Southeast Community Center.
The candlelight vigil was held on Friday evening at the Southeast Community Center in Canton.
City safety forces and grief counselors were present during the vigil.
Sylvia's body was found near 11th Street SW and Bieyl Court SW on march 30, shot in the back of the head. She was pronounced dead on the scene.
With nearly a week to process the unthinkable, family members are still looking for the right words to say.
"We just want justice. I can’t make sense of it," Carlina Hanley, Sylvia's great aunt said. "I am not going to ever see her or talk to her again. It’s just heartbreaking."
She described Sylvia as a ray of sunshine, always able to light up a room. Hanley said she wanted to be a hairstylist, and was looking forward to getting her work permit.
Hanley said the tragedy sheds light on a bigger issue.
"It’s not natural for a child to lose her life to gun violence. It’s not natural," Hanley said.
The vigil was organized by councilwoman Chris Smith, who also lost her son to gun violence.
"Either they’re killing themselves or they are killing each other, or they are killing someone like Sylvia. It’s just senseless. It just needs to stop," Smith said.
Two boys, ages 13 and 14, are suspects in the shooting death of a 14-year-old girl in Canton on Saturday morning, according to Canton police.
The 13-year-old boy has been charged with obstruction of official business for lying to police and is currently in custody, police said.
The 14-year-old boy has not been charged and is not in custody, but police said he and the other teen are suspects in McGhee’s death.
You can watch the vigil in the player below:
