It’s been seven days since Dezjon Taylor passed awayand for his friends and family, it still doesn’t feel real.
“It’s not the same without him here,” said Eduardo Zavaleta, one of Taylor’s best friends. “He’s one of the coolest friends I ever had. He’s my best friend. He’s my brother. I know I’m going to see him again when I die.”
Friday evening, dozens of family and friends came to Kennedy Park in Kenosha to remember the 15-year-old. Many Bradford High School students were in attendance, wearing Taylor’s favorite colors, black and red. The group released balloons donning the same colors into the sky and shared memories with each other.
"Why him?" Donovann Jackson, a friend said. "Out of all people, why him? Never thought I'd lose any of my friends. Makes me realize how close I have to keep my friends and live every day like it might be their last."
His mother was overwhelmed by the number of people her son had touched and the love she felt during the vigil.
“It was hard to look at pictures,” said Melodie Hopkins. “But almost everyone has a picture so he touched a lot of people. A lot of coaches and players. A lot of people reached out to me and said how much he meant.”
Hopkins still struggles to look at Bradford High School.
“I haven’t been able to look at the school or drive past because it hurts,” Hopkins said. “Because it hurts that was where my son probably took his last breath. I watched my son leave to school that morning. I thought in my heart, I hope he has a good day. Less than an hour later I get that devastating call. It’s a sickening feeling. It hurts. I’m so helpless.”
Silver linings are something Hopkins struggles to see but she hopes the school will do something to make sure this type of tragedy doesn’t happen to anyone else.
“Think of how these kids feel,” Hopkins said. “They’re not protected. We’re not safe. Why do you have cameras if you’re not watching and not monitoring these students. What if it was a gun? Guns work fast and kill. I’m hurt. I hope this was an eye opener for them. I hope they change their policies and procedures and how they do things. I can be an advocate for change. Dezjon’s life was not in vain.”
Kenosha Unified School District declined an interview but released the following statement:
“The next steps for the district include hosting a debriefing with local law enforcement, district staff and other community members. The date for this meeting is currently being scheduled. The district takes the safety of all students very seriously and, in conjunction with the upcoming debriefing, will be reviewing appropriate safety measures.”
Friends and family hope the school installs metal detectors.
“Put metal detectors just in case,” Zavaleta said. “It doesn’t matter if it scares kids. Just to keep it safe.”
“You never know what someone is going to pull up with,” said Anthony Zavaleta, Eduardo’s brother.
“Milwaukee has metal detectors,” Hopkins said. “I think we should have that. It should be a national thing. There are too many innocent lives being taken that could be prevented. I’m at a loss for words. It’s hard. I think about what he went through and how long.”
While metal detectors could be a starting point, Hopkins says it’s bigger than searching for weapons. She hopes friends and kids Taylor’s age can learn from this tragedy to just walk away from a situation.
“Don’t go based off your emotions,” Hopkins said. “Take your time. Think. You’re not a punk if you walk away. Put your pride to the side. That reaction, it can cost you your life. Look where this came to.”
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