Fort Worth Police said detectives are still investigating a deadly shooting that left one person dead and three others injured at an apartment complex last month.
The man who died, 38-year-old Jerron Albritton, was laid to rest over the weekend in his hometown of Ruston, Louisiana.
“Well, I think this is one of the hardest things that I've ever had to do in life, and at first I was angry, and then I think that hurt set in, and now I'm at the point where he's really gone. Just trying to process it all," said Sonja Wise, Jerron Albritton's mother.
She described her son, who was married with 12 kids, as someone who never knew a stranger.
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"Jerron was a very big-hearted person. He loved everybody," said Wise. "He loved to cook. He loved to eat. He loved sports, and he loved his kids and his family and was a big mama's baby," said Wise.
She said on Wednesday, June 21 she received a call from her daughter-in-law with the news no mother ever wants to hear.
“She said, 'Miss Sonja, he's gone," said Wise who said Jerron was her firstborn child.
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"It was like a part of of my soul was just ripped out of my body because I had lost my child to senseless violence and it was just unbelievable. It was like a bad dream, and I keep thinking I'm going to wake up and you know reality steps in and then I realized you know, I'd never see him again," said Wise.
Wise said they drove to the complex and spoke with neighbors who said they saw Albritton.
“A lot of the neighbors said that you know, it was like, he just got caught up in crossfire. He was, you know never seen it coming and he was not even 10 feet from his front door," explained Wise.
She said the family has heard many different stories, including that her son had asked people to leave in front of his apartment earlier in the day because his kids were there, but it's not certain if it's the same people involved in the shooting.
Police said two other people were shot and sent to the hospital, a third person was treated at the scene.
A neighbor who lives near the courtyard said bullets were flying everywhere, including into his apartment. Bullets shattered the glass and pierced his wall, TV, and China cabinet.
Wise said right now their focus is on Albritton's kids ranging from 19 years old to a baby, who turned one just days after Albritton's death.
"He was proud that and he he was a very active part in their lives and they all were like, 'Daddy, daddy, daddy,' It's going to be a big adjustment for them," said Wise who said the kids are currently in Louisiana with the family after the funeral on Saturday.
“It's been a challenge. It's really have been a challenge," said his uncle, Carl Albritton, Wise's sister.
"Jerron wasn't perfect. None of us are by any stretch of the imagination but he was a good person. You know, like my sister said, he would help anybody and was always there for his family," said Carl.
“He has 12 kids and you know, we got to rally around that village to ensure his kid our nieces and nephews. You know, don’t forget their father," said Carl. "We want to make sure we keep his memory alive with them and you know, make sure they're well taken care of they're well adjusted and hopefully this won't start a pattern of violence you know, in their lives."
Wise and her brother said they also plan to focus on helping with curbing gun violence so other families don't have to endure the pain that they're feeling.
“It's time for somebody to step up and do something gun violence has to come to an end. I don't know where to start or how to start, but I'm going to make it my everyday purpose to keep my son's memory alive and to rally against gun violence. So as long as I have breath in my body I'm going to speak wherever I can to talk against gun violence," said Wise.
The family said they set up a GoFundMe account to help with the children.
