Fatal shooting victim, 19, calls mother: 'Mom, I've been shot'

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Don Herrell

Five months later, his family is still searching for answers to his death. 

"He said, 'I've been shot,'" Jones said. "And I was like, 'Shot - what do you mean shot.'

"He said - 'I've been shot.' I said where, he said 'In the back.'"

Jones then asked Herrell his location, which he gave as Greenlawn. 

"I said, 'I'm on my way,'" Jones said. "He said, 'Mom, I think I'm going to die.'  I said, 'You're not going to die. I'm on my way.'"

Nakia jumped in her car but couldn't find Herrell. She called him back, and a good samaritan answered and said they were on Greenlawn - just blocks from their home - and that Herrell had lost consciousness.

He was still breathing when Nakia arrived - but he couldn't be saved, dying from his wound,

"There is not ballistics evidence because the bullet passed through him," Jones said. "There's no gun shell casings, there's no witnesses. Just a life that was lost."

A life with so much promise - Herrell had just graduated from Old Redford Preparatory Academy,  he wanted to be a Detroit police officer but was also considering the military. 

He was working at a fast food restaurant and had just taken the bus from work - likely walking west along Six Mile from the bus stop at Livernois.

Jones believes her son was walking along McNichols when the shooting happened, and likely took off running to Greenlawn.

That's where neighbors who heard the gunshots found Herrell. His mother was grateful she was able to be with him in his last moments - but says the handsome young man doing everything right, should still be alive.

 "For something like this to happen was just something you never ever think about," Jones said. "You raise your children, you try to keep them out of the streets, you let them know what gangs are about, how important education is, how important community is. How important all these things are to living a life that is productive. 

"Then someone makes a choice for you."

"Nobody is immune at this point - no one as we see."

Anyone with any information - please contact Detroit police at (313) 596-5300 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.