Over 1000 Attend Funeral For Boy Shot At Football Game

Moms.com

Hundreds Of Supporters Go To Funeral For Boy Shot At High School Football Game

By Kelli Catana

Published Dec 2, 2019

Friends, family, and members of the community showed up to support the family of Micah Tennant, the 10-year-old boy killed at a football game.

Credit: CBS Philly

What was supposed to be a typical high school football playoff game between two New Jersey high school teams turned deadly last month when gunfire erupted in the bleachers during the game. While players, officials, coaches, and fans all ran for safety it was soon discovered that three people were shot during the melee. Ten-year-old Micah Tennant was one of those three people shot during the November 15 game and sadly died of his injuries in hospital on November 20.

Micah's death rocked his community and a crowd of an estimated 1000 people turned out to honor him and support his family at his funeral held at the New Shiloh Baptist Church in Atlantic City. Friends, family members, members of the community and both high schools attended the service alongside faith leaders and community leaders who urged the congregation to continue supporting each other. “We all suffer with the death of this young man,” Bishop James Washington, the church’s senior pastor, told the Philadelphia Inquirer after the service. “We have to begin young, teaching the value of life.”

Steve Stephen attended the service and told CBS Philly that he wanted to give his support to the family and community. “I need to support this family. I need to support this community. Absolutely I’m here. My love goes out to the family and to all the friends and to the loved ones for the little boy,” he stated.

Six people have been charged in connection with the tragic shooting with Alvin Wyatt, who is the suspected shooter being charged with murder. Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. told the community they need to continue their support of the family and community and to “keep this same energy during the dark days." After the service, Small stated that “It’s important we continue to wrap our arms around the family.”

Micah's death has hit his community hard and last week many of the people of Pleasantville marched to protest gun violence in their community.

A billboard featuring Micah's face that reads “We must stop the violence,” is also on display over a local highway. Micah's obituary described him as a child with a “bright smile and huge personality that made it easy for anyone to fall in love with him,” before adding that “He was an extraordinary kid who will be greatly missed.”