Emotional Vigil Held for Slain Oak Park Teen On What Would Have Been His Birthday

An emotional vigil was held Wednesday night, on what would have been the 17th birthday of an Oak Park River Forest student gunned down in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood earlier this week.

Family and the Oak Park community gathered to grive, laugh and celebrate the boy, Elijah Sims, who was well liked at his high school. His grandmother pleads for an end to the violence that claimed him.

“We praying it will stop. It won’t stop,” Sharita Galloway said. “Don’t know where we went wrong.”

Sims’ mother begged for answers.

“Anyone knows anything about who killed my son, please, please, call,” she said.

The turnout at the vigil was a testament to his friends from the suburban highschool and Pete’s Fresh Market where he worked as a cashier. Attendees sang him happy birthday in unison, lit candles and release balloons.

On Wednesday, there was a collection plate on the front desk of the market.

“I felt my baby’s last heart beat, because somebody wanted to get a gun and shoot,” Galloway said through sobs.

Sims’ friend, shot in the back in the same act of violence, is recovering and police say no one is in custody.

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