CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. — Dozens gathered Tuesday night to honor the lives of two Chesterfield County teenagers who were shot and killed in June.
The vigil was held just weeks after 17-year-olds Xavion Drake and Elijah Brown were gunned down while visiting a friend at the Creekpointe Apartments. Chesterfield Police have charged 18-year-old Richard Lamb with second-degree murder in connection to the shooting.
For one hour the community transformed the scene of the tragedy into a space of healing and reflection. Classmates, teachers and loved ones shared memories of the teens with many overcome with emotion.
“We had a lot of great moments,” one friend said. “It just really… it makes me feel some type of way every time I think about it.”
Friends described the teens as best friends with dreams of joining the military after graduation.
“He was like, ‘Are you okay?’ because I had another friend that passed away,” one friend recalled. “He’d always call me at a random time and say, ‘Go listen to the song I just made. Ain’t it hard?’ I’m like, okay… okay,” said another friend.
This summer, these teens are learning how to deal with grief which is a lesson no one wants them to have to face. Community leaders urged those in attendance to carry the boys’ legacies forward and use the pain as motivation for change.
“Become the power behind the community that will move us to change,” one speaker said.
Xavion's mom has started a GoFundMe to help with funeral expenses. Click here to donate.
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