Vigil for 17-year-old killed in North Nashville

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – Dozens gathered in North Nashville on Saturday for a vigil and balloon release.

They honored 17-year-old Ebonique Farris, who died on March 25.^th Avenue North last weekend. Anthony Brooks, 23, was charged with manslaughter after police say he told them he shot Farris during an argument.

“She was one of the babies of North Nashville. She was 17,” said Sparkle Johnson, a family friend. “She didn’t really have many enemies, and if she did, it didn’t last long because she would always say something stupid or silly to relieve the tension.”

On Saturday, relatives gathered just two miles from the courtyard of the Cumberland View Apartments, where police said Farris was killed.

Her friends remembered her as a kind, talented dancer and someone with a bright future.

“This hurts. This is my friend. This hurts. I’ve never lost a friend like this,” said her friend Zatavia Baker. “But I lost my father like this. This hurts. I’ll never see my friend again, so this hurts.”

“It’s a pain that will basically never go away,” added friend Jahlijah Robinson.

They also feared that gun violence could spread and affect more youth in Nashville. Since the beginning of the year, there have been 25 gunshot victims between the ages of 13 and 17, according to data.

“It’s sad,” Robinson said. “It’s not fair.”

“I think this is really tragic and really sad,” Baker added. “I think people shouldn’t have to go through this. People here have mothers and fathers.”

Johnson’s nine-year-old son, Brent Buchanan, also attended Saturday’s vigil. He said he knows several people who have died from gun violence.

“Why did he do that to my friend?” Brent asked. “It made me angry because he killed a person who was my friend.”

While families still mourn the loss of the young man who took his life, relatives said they are calling for peace on the streets of Nashville above all else.

“We need love. We need unity,” Johnson said. “We need community, not conflict.”

Earlier this week, the City Council approved $1 million to establish a youth safety office and improve local community centers.