Family Mourns The Life Of Child Killed In Drive-By
MODESTO (CBS13) - A Modesto family has been torn apart after a drive-by shooting overnight.
Five-year-old Xavier Smith was shot and killed right in front of his home on the 1400 block of Lake Park Court.
Xavier was known as the star of the family. He was gunned down while playing in front of his home Saturday night.
Modesto police are still hunting for the suspect.
A six-year-old boy was also shot, but he survived his injury.
"What reason could you possibly have had to shoot into a home with innocent children? Shame on you!" cried Leticia Smith.
A grandmother, pleading for answers, after a fun Saturday night in front of her home turned deadly. Smith's pride and joy was suddenly ripped out of her life.
"He ruled our hearts from the moment he was born," Smith said.
Xavier was the apple of his grandma's eye.
"He'll always be my Superman," Smith said tearfully.
Xavier played for the Central Valley Jets little league football team.
He scored his first big victory hours before he was gunned down. The bullet holes could be seen on the garage door.
"He was able to run the ball, he said 'grandma all they gotta do is give me the ball!' He ran for nine yards. That's the last thing I'll remember from him out of that football field," cried Smith.
Xavier had dreams of becoming an NFL star one day; he also loved wrestling.
"He'll walk up to you and do a WWE move on you in a heartbeat," said Xavier's godmother.
Xavier touched the lives of many. To the Central Valley Jets, he was family.
"It's like losing one of your own children you know, he never gave up and he was out there everyday practicing and playing," said Melissa Gutierrez, the team president.
Heartbroken by the tragedy, says she's dedicating next Saturday to Xavier.
"We will play this game for Xavier, we will go out there and give it our all for him," Gutierrez said.
A memorial of everything Xavier loved now lies in front of his home.
His grandmother's one last message:
"Booba if you can hear me, I know you hear me, I want you to know I'm always gonna love you from the moon to the stars and back," Smith prayed.
Xavier would have turned six in the beginning of November. His family is holding a special prayer in his name Monday at 6 p.m. at "The House" in Modesto.
Detectives were combing the neighborhood Sunday, looking for witnesses who may have witnessed the tragedy.
