SALISBURY, N.C. — The mother of a 14-year-old boy who was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting in Salisbury is advocating for stricter gun laws for minors.
Brion Grier was walking to a park to play basketball when he was fatally shot on Ellis Street in late September. Despite months of investigation, police have not made any arrests in the case.
“BJ was, and I’ll say it again, BJ was a goofy kid; he liked to play, he liked to do pranks, and he liked to make you laugh,” said Nicole Beckham, Brion’s mother.
“It’s really tough; I live with this every day. I think about September 27, 2024, every day ... the last time I spoke to my son, the last couple of hours we spent together,” Beckham continued.
“I feel like I need to fight for him because he didn’t deserve that; he didn’t deserve to die that way; he wasn’t a violent kid, so to die by gun violence, drive-by shooting, it’s reckless,” she added.
BJ loved football and played quarterback for his middle school team. His favorite player was Lamar Jackson, and his mother often reflects on what could have been.
Nicole Beckham has started a petition on Change.org to push for stricter gun laws for minors, hoping to prevent other families from experiencing similar tragedies.
Police are urging anyone with information about the shooting to come forward, while Nicole Beckham continues to rally support for her petition in memory of her son.
VIDEO: ‘Find who did this’: Mother wants 14-year-old son’s killer found soon
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