Family members of 14-year-old Brandon Clegg, the Richmond teen who took his own life after a shootout with police at Dennis Intermediate School, talk for the first time since the incident.
Clegg’s family, friends and even strangers held a candlelight vigil Sunday night at Glenn Miller Park.
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Nearly 100 people showed up to pray for the family and the community of Richmond after Thursday’s violence.
“Yeah it was a tragedy what happened, but we’ve got to get this stuff under control folks. These kids are killing themselves every day and nothing’s being done about it,” said Bob Harney, Brandon’s uncle. “We don’t condone what happened. None of us do. But you folks gotta remember this lady made a phone call that I’m not sure I could have made.”
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Brandon’s mom Mary was at the vigil, but her family said she’s not ready to tell her side of the story. Police say she called law enforcement when she knew her son was heading towards the school Thursday, a decision that saved lives.
“She was going to save a lot of those kids. She wasn’t going to let him take anyone of them with him,” said Harney. “She says no I’m not a hero. I’m not saying she’s a hero. But all those kids went home that night and all their parents hugged them and tucked them in bed except one.”
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Deanna Dill, of Richmond, doesn’t know Brandon’s family, but still came out to let the family know that her thoughts and prayers are with them.
“I can’t imagine having to be in that position to make that phone call,” she said. “I hope it just shows that, you know, that we’re thankful that she did what she did, that we want to support her in any way that we can.”
The intermediate school will remain closed Tuesday.