AKRON, Ohio — A man is behind bars after police said an argument escalated into a shooting that left a mother and her 12-year-old child dead.
Now, the Akron community and family members are at a loss for words.
RELATED: Mother and son dead after shooting in Akron
A little more than two months ago, Akron Sneaker Academy Founder, Domonique Waters, said he received an email from Tania Mangual, who reached out to sign her 12-year-old son, Jericho, up for Waters’ summer camp.
Waters did not personally know Tania and Jericho. But he said he was looking forward to meeting them.
"She was already thinking about summer. I mean, this is January,” said Waters. “Talked about it, told her when it was coming up, and I said I would personally reach out to her.”
As Waters looks back at the email, he said he feels heavy knowing two more innocent people lost their lives to gun violence.
"I remember going to the gym after work to clear my mind, but it was just heavy on my heart,” said Waters.
Earlier this month, News 5 sat down with Waters, who told us about his new gun violence prevention program and annual summer camp that he created to help young kids in Akron.
RELATED: Saving Soles: Akron Sneaker Academy uses shoes to fight youth violence
Now, Waters said he will never meet the Manguals after they were shot and killed in Akron Saturday night.
"The fact that they aren’t here anymore. It’s something that words can’t even really put into fruition of how they were supposed to be in this camp this summer,” said Waters.
It’s even more emotional for family members like Armanie Asia, who set up a growing memorial of personal keepsakes and balloons to spell out Tania and Jericho’s names.
"That was my mom’s sister. She not only was my aunt. She was also my God mom. I was her kid way, way, way before she ever had kids, and my cousin, you know, when she got pregnant with him, I went to all the appointments with her and all that stuff. Like she meant a lot,” said Armanie.
Armanie said she and her family are heartbroken.
Meantime, 28-year-old Brandon Caston, the man accused of killing the mother and son, is behind bars and facing felony charges.
"Every time they come out, I want them literally just remember like the lives that they took,” said Armanie.
