WEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - A South Florida mother took a heartbreaking walk across a graduation stage in honor of her teenage son, more than a year after he was fatally gunned down.
Wednesday was graduation day for the class of 2022 at Miami Southridge Senior High, but a 2021 drive-by shooting robbed classmate Clinton Young Jr. of the opportunity to join them.
The school’s principal, Humberto J. Miret, acknowledged the 17-year-old’s absence during his address.
“One of our Spartans is no longer with us. Clinton Young Jr. tragically passed away last year,” he said.
Young’s mother, Shay Jones, walked up to the stage to accept her son’s diploma on his behalf.
“He will live forever in our hearts and in the halls of Southridge,” said Miret.
Jones spoke with 7News after the ceremony.
“This could have been him in the audience, getting ready to throw his hat up, getting ready to go to college, so it was different,” she said.
Miami-Dade Police said Young was caught in a hail of bullets on the night of April 7, 2021. Investigators said the victim was near his grandmother’s home in the Goulds neighborhood, in the area of Southwest 223rd Street and 115th Avenue.
Police said two other teens were injured but survived.
The gunman remains at large. There’s a $15,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest.
“Somebody knows something, and they’re not talking. They need to say something,” said Jones. “Everybody talks, so somebody knows what happened and who did it.”
Police told her they are making progress in the case, but tips are always welcome.
If you have any information on this drive-by shooting or the subject’s whereabouts, call Miami-Dade Police at 305-476-5423 or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.
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