Marty Kent, 17, paid the ultimate sacrifice to protect his mother.
On Jan. 2 the Modesto, Calif., teenager was shot and killed on his front porch after jumping in front of his mother to take a bullet headed in her direction, according to Fox 40.
Days later, family and friends have hosted several fundraisers, including a car wash to raise money for funeral costs and a reward for information that leads to an arrest, the news outlet reports.
“It just hurts us all because this money ain’t going to bring him back,” Shelby Robertson, Kent’s cousin told the news station.
Kent’s mother, Robin, said she went to her front porch after hearing people fighting outside when suddenly a member of the group drew a gun and shot in her direction, she told KDSK.
"They shot, he jumped in front of me, like to push me out of the way,” she told the news outlet. “He was in front of me, they shot him. He died half in, half out, in his dad's arms, while we prayed and prayed 'God, please help us' and to the point where it was 'God, please take him,'" she said.
Investigators said they are looking for someone who fled the scene in a green Jeep, KDSK reports.
Relatives have set up an online donation fund to raise money for funeral and burial costs. Kent comes from a large family -- he had eight siblings and 14 nieces and nephews.
His brother, David, also witnessed the attack.
“I don’t know if anybody else has seen their brother die right in front of them and his eyes close…I lost a big piece of my heart that night,” he told Fox 40.
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