BALTIMORE — The barrage of bullets riddling the streets of Baltimore typically aren't meant to hit the city's youngest, some not even old enough to walk across the graduation stage.
Corey Mosely, Jr. was looking forward to that day.
"He would just say 'Aunt Keah, I'm just trying to graduate,'" Lakeah Mosely, Corey's aunt, said. "That was his whole focus, and he leaves behind a 1 year old."
17-year-old Corey Mosely was the last person killed in Baltimore in 2018.
The Dunbar High School senior was gunned down on Green Rose Lane on New Year's Eve.
"He was on the football team. He was also the mascot for the football team. He was funny, silly, all-around, lovable person," Mosely said.
Corey was one of 12 city school students, as Young as seven years old, that were killed in Baltimore, three more than all of last school year.
"12 families shattered. 12 young lives cut short, filled with potential and possibility and capable of achievements that now will never be realized and dreams that will now go unfulfilled," Dr. Sonja Santelises, the CEO of Baltimore City Schools, said.
At a point where city leaders are calling for peace and remembrance of the young lives taken too soon, Chey Gilliam can only echo their points.
"I worked last night. I wasn't even going to come. But I said, 'you know what, I'm going to come and represent my son,' and I brought my family," Gilliam said.
Just two months ago, her son Lamont was killed.
He too was set to graduate. Instead, he's now part of a class City Schools' hopes doesn't continue to grow.
"One thing that always was instilled in him that he always told us that he loved us. So right before he passed away, he said, 'I love you mom.' I said, 'I love you more.' He said, 'I'll be right back.' I said, 'You sure?' He said, 'I'll be right back,'" Gilliam said.
"He never came back."
