MACON, Ga. — On Saturday, the family and friends of Ishmael Saleem gathered at Saleem's Fish Supreme for a candlelight vigil and balloon release in his honor.
Saleem was shot and killed in January 2023 and his family is still looking for answers and raising awareness on gun violence.
Family and friends lit candles in his memory, prayed together and released orange and white balloons, the colors for National Gun Violence Awareness.
They say the support and outreach from the community has been strong but they still want justice.
His family doesn't want others to feel the pain they've felt.
"For those in disputes, walk away, you can get up the next day and hash it out and talk about it but walk away. Put the guns down," Wafiyyah Brown said.
Saleem's family also accepted donations at the balloon release that will be used for a future scholarship in his name.
47-year-old Ishmael Saleem was shot on January 19, 2023. He later died at the hospital.
His brothers Rasool and Jamaal Saleem, spoke with 13WMAZ shortly after the shooting.
They said Ishmael was the oldest of eight children born and raised in Macon.
They say he loved children, both in his family and in the community, and the brothers say he freely gave of his time and money.
"He always led me in the right direction and gave me motivation," said Jamaal Saleem. "He just kept my mind focused."
"I feel hurt. I feel sad. I miss him, and what I want people to know that my brother was an honorable, giving person," said Rasool Saleem.
MORE THAN A NUMBER:
More Than A Number is a Poynter-Stand Together award-winning project by Justin Baxley designed to help families of loved ones impacted by tragedy and trauma interact with journalists in a less intrusive way. Families are able to fill out a form about their family and also receive an in-depth guide on the next steps.
More Than A Number officially launched in August with a streaming special available on 13WMAZ+ for on-demand streaming. For any questions or concerns about More Than A Number, contact us here at the following email: MoreThanANumber@13wmaz.com
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