ROANOKE, Va. – Hearts were heavy in the Roanoke community, as hundreds took one last look at the life of a teen, 16-year-old Jakolbi Taylor, who was shot and killed in Myrtle Beach last Saturday.
“And I see a text that said, ‘Kolbi’s gone bro,’ and I didn’t really know how to react. I couldn’t comprehend those words at that time in the moment,” Cam Ogletree, one of Taylor’s best friends, said.
Cam is in disbelief that he’ll never see his teammate again.
Taylor’s AAU coach, Christian Kirchman, said the teen was in South Carolina for a basketball tournament, playing a sport he loved dearly.
“Kolbi was a leader and a student of the game. He was always eager to learn and improve. His dedication, passion, commitment and will to win are things that I will always admire,” Kirchman said.
According to an NBC affiliate station in Myrtle Beach, Taylor’s family said Taylor was hanging out with friends when a group of 12 people showed up. They said it’s unclear what led to the shooting but said Taylor was shot while trying to run away.
Now, his teammates are faced with grief thinking about the next time they will shoot hoops without Taylor by their side.
“It’s going to hurt. I’ve been on the court with him since second grade—Wreck, AAU and all the way to school ball. It’s going to be crazy,” Olgetree said.
It’s a tragic loss for Taylor’s family, but they hope to keep his legacy alive.
“Keep fighting for your dreams, keep fighting for whatever it is you want. Don’t sleep on yourself. Cause my nephew ain’t never sleep on himself,” Jakolbi Taylor’s aunt said.