JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The mother of an 18-year-old who died after being shot in the head while riding his bike is hoping for a break in the case and that someone will help police find out who shot her son.
Darryl Arnold Jr. was shot more than a week ago on Spires Avenue near Farifax Street in the Moncrief Park area. He was riding his bike with a friend when someone starting shooting.
Arnold, a student at Raines High School, died earlier this week.
Darryl's mother, Angel Williams-Arnold, said she never worried about her son riding his bike, even at 2 a.m., which is when the shooting happened. In fact, she said he did it all the time.
"I was sleeping. It was like 1:30 (a.m.), 2 o'clock, and I just got this alarming wakeup from my younger son," Williams-Arnold said. "He was like, 'Darryl's been shot. Darryl's been shot."
Williams-Arnold said the days since her son died have been a blur.
"What makes me angry is that he's not here," Williams-Arnold added. "That I've got to live my life without my son."
The teen's father, Darryl Arnold Sr., said he'll miss the little things.
"Not hearing him ringing that doorbell like he used to ring it, playing his music, just him saying dad," he said.
Darryl Jr.'s family said the teen was going to stop at his friend's house before heading home the night he was shot. His mom said its something he did all the time because the family used to live in the neighborhood. She said many of his friends were still there, and she never worried about his safety.
"It's never a thought," she said. "I mean you wouldn't lay down to go to bed knowing that you was worried about him getting home safely. I always felt comfortable knowing that he would make it home safely."
It's something the teen riding with Darryl Jr. said he didn't worry about either, but that night something felt different.
"Something told me to look back, so I looked back and I saw somebody," he said. "I saw a person with all black on. Thats when he had just shot."
Darryl's friend said he got off the bike, ran to his house and called 911. Then he went back to find Darryl Jr. lying in the road, shot.
"I was like, 'Bruh, you alright? You alright? You alright?'" he said. "And he just kept mumbling. And I just, it was sad. I was just wondering who would do this?"
Now Darryl's family is left to wonder the same thing. But they believe someone out there knows exactly who's behind his death.
"I just wish they would come forward and say something so we can get these people off the streets so no one else's kids will get hurt," Darryl Sr. said.
Police said there were no witnesses besides Darryl's friend on the bike, so they don't have much to go on right now.
The teen's family said no one had any issues with him. They did mention that earlier that day one of his cousins had gotten into a fight and there was some back and forth surrounding that. But they are not sure if that's what led up to the shooting.
Anyone with any information about the killing is asked to call the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office at 904-630-0500 or Crime Stoppers at 866-845-TIPS.