BALTIMORE — Family and friends held a vigil on Thursday for a Baltimore teenager who was shot and killed earlier this week.
RELATED: 'I'm breaking' Mother of South Baltimore homicide victim shares her loss
Police identified the victim as 19-year-old Troy Rush Jr.
He was murdered early Tuesday morning inside of a convenience store on West Pratt Street.
Detectives are reviewing surveillance video, but no one has been taken into custody for his death.
“My son was a good dude," said Troy Rush Sr. "He was a good dude.”
At a vigil in Southwest Baltimore, where more than a hundred people attended, his father described him as a smart kid who loved sports.
Rush said Troy will be the second son he will have to bury in the past nine months due to the gun violence in Baltimore
"I'm really feeling numb," he said.
Ashley Dingle, who is Troy's mother, also described the pain of his death as unbearable.
"It's like there's a knife in me," she said in an interview before the vigil. "I haven't slept in three days, three days."
Many people at the vigil were overcome with emotion, but also felt fortunate to have had Troy in their life.
One of them was his childhood coach Derwin Hannah.
He said Troy was a member of his sports program called the ABC Park Seminoles.
“He was one of these people you would always think about when he’s not around," Hannah said. "He was one of these people who would come up the street and brighten your day.”
Troy would later grow up and become a part of a non-profit called the Food Project, which helped him land a job at Camden Yards.
"A lot of these kids are trying to do better, but with the lack of resources, lack of attention [and] lack of general concern; it leaves them in the streets.”
Hannah said he is praying his death will be a wakeup call for others to put the guns down
“Ask somebody for help," he said. I understand. We understand why people do what they do. At some point in time, we got to change the situation you can’t continue to live the same way.”
Troy leaves behind a four-year-old daughter and was also expecting a son in August.
If you have any information related to Troy's murder, you're asked to call police at 410-396-2100. You can also remain anonymous and call Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP.
