JEFFERSON, Ga. — Hundreds came to pay their respects Tuesday night to 18-year-old Elijah DeWitt during his visitation inside The Jefferson Church. Besides his family, Elijah’s teammates, classmates, and teachers were among those who stood in line to honor him.
Elijah was gunned down outside the Dave and Buster’s at Sugarloaf Mills Mall in Lawrenceville on Oct. 5. Gwinnett County Police Department investigators said the suspects, who are also teenagers, were arrested in Anderson County, South Carolina and are now in the Gwinnett County jail.
Tanisha Gales is in her third year teaching at Jefferson High School. Her son was one of Elijah’s football coaches. She said the students just returned from fall break on Monday. She admitted her mother instinct came out as you could feel the heartbreak inside the halls of the high school.
“Teachers are rallying around the students and just making sure they’re doing well, if not just showing love to just make sure they get through this,” said Gales. “This has shown me the real true meaning of community."
She said she believes the true test for many will be Friday night with the Jefferson High School football team traveling to Hall County for their first game since the shooting.
“It was hard to see young men shedding tears over their friend, you know, when you work so close together, you’ve grown up playing sports together it becomes a brotherhood,” Gales said. “It’s really going to impact them on Friday when they start back on that field and he’s no longer there.”
An online fundraiser has been created to make sure Elijah is always remembered at Jefferson High School. A scholarship is being created in his honor.