Funeral held for 14-year-old Aamir Griffin killed on Queens basketball court
JAMAICA, Queens (WABC) -- Family, friends and a high school community gathered Monday to bid a final farewell to Aamir Griffin, the teen who was shot and killed last month while playing basketball with his friends in Queens.
The 14-year-old was not the target of the shooting, and his death has sparked calls for justice as police continue to search for his killer.
His funeral was held Monday morning at the Greater Allen Cathedral.
"He didn't deserve this, he was a good kid," friend Delissa Chamble said. "I know everybody is going to miss him."
Griffin's casket arrived in grand fashion, by horse-drawn carriage.
He was known for his big smile, his dimples, and his love of basketball.
In fact, he had just made the JV team at Cardozo High School when stray gunfire took his life on the court outside his home.
"It happened to an innocent bystander," friend Janiyah Hill said. "He was in the park playing basketball. Whatever is going on needs to stop."
In the days following his death, Eyewitness News spoke with his coach, Ron Naclerio.
"They get guns as easy as we go to a bodega and get a Pepsi or a Coke," Naclerio said. "And these kids are probably missing school later this week for the wrong reason, to bury a teammate."
Many of his teammates attended his funeral.
"He was just smiling in everybody's face, trying to make sure everybody was OK," Chamble said. "He never was a negative person. He never brought negative energy to the crowd. He was always happy, and this is a shame."
No arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing.
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