Kansas City mother asks for answers after 15-year-old son is shot and killed
By Alan Shope
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KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KMBC) — A grieving Kansas City mother is asking for answers and urging the public to come forward after her 15-year-old son was shot and killed while walking home from school earlier this month.
“When you have a kid like Lucas, how loving he is,” Qusha Barbee said, describing the pain she says will never go away.
Barbee’s son, Lucas Long, was shot on Jan. 8 while walking home just before 3 p.m. in the 6600 block of Monroe Avenue in Kansas City. Police have not said what led up to the shooting, and no arrests have been made.
“You never think that you’re going to have to deal with this,” Barbee said.
Barbee said her son often walked home with friends.
“He had a lot of friends, and they would walk in groups,” she said.
More than two weeks later, Barbee said the lack of information has been frustrating.
“The information is very limited,” she said.
On Wednesday afternoon, Barbee joined the group Mothers in Charge at a press conference, asking anyone with information to come forward.
“If they’ve seen anything, reach out,” she said.
Family members described Lucas as fun-loving, kind and outgoing, with a love for sports and making people laugh.
“He joked, he was kind. I never had to open a door or carry a bag,” Barbee said.
The family said the route Lucas took home was one he walked every day. They say the hardest part has been living without answers.
“No one is saying anything. It could be anybody,” Barbee said.
Barbee said she hopes speaking publicly will encourage others to step forward.
“It’s time for us to stop being quiet. Every single person loved him,” she said.
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