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Community torn apart by 10-year-old's death

Posted at 11:31 PM, Sep 22, 2015
and last updated 2015-09-22 23:31:12-04

More than a week after 10-year-old DeShaun Swanson was shot and killed, no one is behind bars for the crime, and his community is struggling to make sense of his death.

People in Swanson's neighborhood are questioning whether anyone is safe. At the same time, they're forced to teach a tough lesson to their children – many of whom had the same hopes and dreams as Swanson.

"They're kids," said mother Kizzy Mason. "You don't know how to explain … you see someone one day and you're never going to see that person again. It's so hard."

MORE | Child killed after shooting on city's north side

Community members gathered Tuesday for a peace rally before a football game in Swanson's honor. Some of his teammates still haven't heard the news.

"We haven't told the whole team, so a lot of them don't know," said Coach Darryl Smith.

Among those at the rally Tuesday night was Earnestine Havvard, who lost her own son when he was shot and killed in the same neighborhood in August.

MAP | 2015 Indianapolis Homicides

"I'm crying out to you, whoever it is, stop this," she said. "This is awful. This is painful and it's hurting everyone. It's tearing us all apart. People, stop this."'

Three other people were injured in the shooting that killed Swanson.

People ask anyone with information in the case to call Crime Stoppers at 317-262-TIPS.