Family of Jacksonville teen gunned down nearly 1 month ago use birthday to speak about violence

It's been almost one month since 16-year-old Adrian Gainer Jr. was gunned down inside the Hilltop Village apartments in the Moncrief area.

Adrian’s mother, Elizabeth Gainer, said March 19 was his birthday.

On Tuesday, he would have been 17 years old, and his family celebrated his life by rallying to end gun violence in the community where he was killed.

Gainer said it’s been three weeks and one day since Adrian was shot to death.

“It’s been almost a month, but it feels like it happened yesterday,” Gainer said.

Instead of his family celebrating his life they, said they’re still mourning the loss of it.

“I can’t close my eyes without seeing my baby gunned down out there in that parking lot,” Gainer said.

The family said those painful memories will never subside. To honor his life, they hosted a march in the area where he was killed with a message for anyone involved in violence. They said they plan to continue this practice every month until his killer is found.

“All of it is indescribable, all of it, from seeing his body to seeing him out there gunned down to burying him. My family is going to march with me until we get justice for him,” Gainer said.

Gainer said the Moncrief neighborhood is known for its dangerous atmosphere, which is why they’re pleading for a change.

“No child deserves to be gunned down like that. Something has to change. Something has to stop,” Gainer said.

Police are asking anyone with information in this shooting to contact Crime Stoppers and they can remain anonymous.

Officers are still looking for the person responsible for killing the teen.