She found her 14-year-old son Nicolas Elizalde bleeding from a wound to his chest.
A mother who was waiting to pick up her son from football practice ran was shocked when she heard gunshots. Meredith Elizalde rushed toward the sound of the bullets on Tuesday afternoon. Elizalde said she found her 14-year-old, Nicolas Elizalde, bleeding from the chest from an apparent gunshot wound. A group of five gunmen opened fire at the end of scrimmage at Roxborough High School’s field. Four other teens were wounded as a result. “I heard the shooting start and I didn’t know where he was, but inside as a mother I knew it. I ran to the shots. I ran to the shots and I couldn’t get him, but I held him and I felt him leave. But I was holding him. He wasn’t alone,” Elizalde told NBC10. As she could feel her son's life slipping away, she called 911 and held her son in her arms. She touched his face and said, “I love you and I’m here” and recited a Muslim prayer for him.
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Nicolas Gabriel Elizalde’s mom, Meredith, says she needs you to know her son was a “peaceful soul” who loved being Muslim & Mexican American. He loved the @Eagles, and the Jersey Shore. And hated guns. Enough to march in protests to ban them. https://t.co/nE0UsLU3py
— Lucy Bustamante - News Anchor/Journalist (@LBustamanteNBC) September 29, 2022
Nicolas (or Nick, as she affectionately called him) was both a Muslim and Mexican-American in the U.S. The heartbroken mother said Nicolas was "the best son that anyone could ever ask for, that he was so special, that he never hurt anyone or anything. He was the most gentle soul that I ever came across in my life," Elizalde said. "I've always said it was like raising Gandhi. There just isn't a better, more pure human being on Earth, and that's why God took him," she told the outlet. Police believe that Nicolas was not the intended target and was an innocent bystander. They also believe the shooters may themselves be minors. Four of the five teens shot were part of Roxborough High School's football team and they were in the age range between 14 and 17, according to Philadelphia police said.
“He was the most gentle soul that I ever came across in my life. “
— Miguel Martinez-Valle (@MiguelMValle) September 29, 2022
The mother of Roxborough shooting victim Nicolas Elizalde remembers his life. https://t.co/h7vn2KHTK4
According to WPVI, the gunmen fired more than 60 shots. On Thursday, a vigil was held for Nicholas in Gorgas Park, adjacent to Roxborough High School. More than 100 people attended including various faith leaders in the area. Jamel Harris who is friends with Elizalde's mother shared, "He was a good kid and I know people say that all the time, but he was a genuinely good kid."
'I Felt Him Leave:' Penn. Mom Held Dying Son After He Was Fatally Shot Leaving Football Practice https://t.co/xh0iFiQKnS
— People (@people) September 30, 2022
Police are looking for the gunmen and are urging the public to come forward with any information they may have regarding the incident. A $45,000 reward will be given to those with details that lead to an arrest and conviction.
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Cover Image Source: YouTube | NBC10 Philadelphia
