NEW ORLEANS — Just weeks away from graduating, Edna Karr High School senior Caleb Johnson was shot and killed Sunday in Algiers.
Tuesday, Johnson's mother, DeCarlas O'Neal Johnson, shared stories of her son. He turned 18 in January and his mother shared video of Johnson getting ready to blow out his birthday cake candles. She said he would not make a wish, instead he would say a prayer.
"Caleb just started with these long drawn out prayers and my husband looked at me and said 'you taught him how to pray like that?' And I said 'no I didn’t.' It was just in him," O'Neal Johnson said. "I know Caleb. He's with God. He's with God and I do have peace with that."
Johnson and his step sister, 25-year-old Breyiana Brown, were both shot and killed in Algiers Sunday.
According to the family, Johnson's girlfriend was also shot and injured. Police said the three were in a vehicle at Cypress Run Apartments as someone attempted to sell a gun to a man. For some reason, police said that man started shooting.
"I say in this situation with this person that took my son's life, you hurt us. You really hurt us," O'Neal Johnson said.
Johnson was a football player at Edna Karr High School, on homecoming court Junior year, and just weeks away from graduating.
Head football Coach Brice Brown dropped off his jersey to his mother Tuesday.
"A great young man to be around, a great sense of humor," Brown said.
Coach Brown does not want to have to visit another player's family after losing their life. He's desperate for the violence to stop.
"This is a kid who was 21 days away from graduation and it breaks everyone's heart that that kid, his name will be called on graduation, but his body wont walk across that stage," Brown said.
Johnson had big plans. The first thing on his list after college was to join the U.S. Navy.
"I said 'wow, I'm going to be a military mom, something I never thought I'd be,' because you're always scared 'oh, you'll go to the military, something could happen to your son.' I said, well New Orleans is like equivalent to being on a battleground," O'Neal Johnson said.
Johnson will be honored and recognized at Edna Karr's graduation in just a couple weeks.
There have been no arrests in this case. If you know anything, call Crimestoppers at 504-822-111 or New Orleans Police.