Jaiquaune Freeman's body was found with multiple gun shot wounds. Neighbors said they heard eight shots being fired. Freeman's mother now has a message for anyone who is willing to listen.
Freeman was known by many names, including Bama, Quaune, Professor, King, Kountry Kid Jay, just some to name a few.
"He was just a good kid," Walter Hayes, a relative close to Freeman whom he called "Uncle," said. "At home he was good with his parents. His friends that were around him. He was no trouble. So it's hard to believe something like that would happen."
The oldest of four, Freeman was an aspiring rapper. Known for his rhymes, now remembered with a memorial filled with signatures, messages of love, and lit candles where police found his body.
"You just never imagine that you will go through something like this," Towanna Jamison, Freeman's mother, said. "You know, you raise your kids to be respectful citizens in society and you just don't wake up and think this is going to happen to you."
It happened just before 2 P.M. Sunday afternoon in Light Alley near South West and West King Streets. By all accounts, Freeman had no known enemies.
"No, everybody loved him," Jamison said. "Everybody loved him. He was a lovable person. Never got into trouble or anything like that."
Police are now looking for who is responsible. They believe Freeman was targeted. As for his mother, she's relying on her faith to move forward.
"God is going to get to the bottom of this," Jamison said. "I mean whomever it was that did this to my son, I'm not mad at them. I forgive them. It's not for them it's for me. Whomever it is is going to be brought to justice. I don't hate them. My son is in a better place. He's where we're trying to all get to. So he's there already. And I'm okay with that."
"I want everybody to know this," Hayes said. "Jaiquaune was a good kid and he's the kind of kid that I would love to call my son."
The coroner said Freeman died from a gunshot wound to the head.
The shooting is York's first homicide of the year.
Anyone with information about the shooting may contact the York City Police anonymous tip line by texting 847411. They may also call York County Crime Stoppers at 717-755-TIPS or the York City Police tip line at 717-849-2204.
