00:00The first time we are hearing from the mother of the teenager who was shot and killed by an off
00:05-duty deputy out of Walmart in Point Siena.
00:07Family identified 16-year-old Jairus Jones.
00:11West Shoes Tony Atkins is joining us live from Point Siena tonight.
00:14And Tony, you spoke with that teen's mother over the telephone.
00:19Yeah, she said she wasn't quite ready to go on camera and talk about her son just yet.
00:24She did give us a statement, but said it was just too emotionally straining to talk about just two days
00:31after losing her son here at this Walmart.
00:35This is 16-year-old Jairus Jones.
00:38Family confirmed he was the person shot and killed at a Walmart in Point Siena.
00:43His mother, Naportia, didn't want to speak on camera, but sent West to this statement Saturday saying in part, quote,
00:49My son Jairus, who everyone knew and loved as J.J., was a bright, beautiful light in this world.
00:55The name J.J. came from his friends.
00:58He was loved by so many and had the personality that drew people in.
01:03Investigators confirmed the 16-year-old was shot and killed by an off-duty Osceola County deputy Thursday night.
01:10Deputies say Jones was armed with a gun.
01:13Sheriff Chris Blackman spoke about the investigation hours after the shooting.
01:17The loss prevention officer, which is a theft officer at Walmart, notified our deputy at the front of the store
01:22that there were three men inside the store that had concealed merchandise.
01:26Investigators claim Jones was with two others, a minor and a man in his 20s.
01:31The other two suspects were identified and accounted for.
01:34And with that said, our deputy fired downrange at the suspect and took him out.
01:40He had a gun in his hand running through the store.
01:42The other two suspects fled the store.
01:44Naportia says she has questions about what happened.
01:46She adds, quote, as his mother, I'm beyond proud of the young man he was becoming.
01:52He was full of life, full of love, full of dreams.
01:56Our hearts are shattered.
01:57But we want the world to remember J.J. for his smile, his energy, and the love he gave so
02:02freely.
02:06And we did reach out to investigators here in Osceola County for an update.
02:11In this case, they are deferring to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which is also investigating what happened here
02:18again just two days ago.
02:20I'm covering Osceola County live in Point Siena, Tony Atkins, West 2 News.
