JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The mother of Tiphne Hollis, a 16-year-old girl who was killed in the Mixon Town neighborhood 12 years ago, held a march for justice for her daughter on Monday.
Hollis was killed on March 20, 2010, in a drive-by shooting on Calvin Street while riding in a car with her cousins and friends.
The goal of Shanda Whittaker-Ward, Hollis’ mother, is to stop gun violence in the city, and students marched Monday to support that goal.
″It’s so much of a temptation out here for our young kids, and to let them know, you have to be careful of who you hang with and who you be around,” said Whittaker-Ward.
Longtime friend Meltonia Wright, Young Kids in Motion Academy principal, walked with Hollis’ mother.
“With everything that happened with her daughter, we try to be a major support. That was a very serious time in everybody’s lives when all of that happened, and it broke a lot of us,” Wright said. “Our young people, we want you guys to just get away from guns. Leave them alone and just stop the senseless killing of each other.”
TDH second-grade teacher Clarice Johnson participated as well.
“We’re losing our children. It’s sad,” said Johnson. “Our babies, we’re losing them.”
Hollis’ murder remains unsolved, but her mother will keep searching for justice.
Anyone with information about the case is urged to call Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS (8477).