LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The family of the 16-year-old Jefferson County Public School (JCPS) student shot and killed while waiting for the bus in September spoke out for the first time Friday since their son's accused killers got arrested.
Tyree Smith died on September 22.
Tyree's mom, Sherita Smith, and his stepdad, Eric Shirley, said police told them Wednesday two people were arrested in connection to their son's death.
"Just waking up not being able to hear him every day all loud and happy and goofy," Smith said. "I'll probably never get closure for that, but I do have a sense of relief that I did get some of my questions answered."
Smith and Shirley saw the two 16-year-old JCPS students charged in connection to Tyree's death for the first time Friday.
The names aren't being released because they are juveniles, but Smith and Shirley went to court for the hearing.
"I'm sitting in the courtroom today looking at children. Children," Shirley said. "I mean, they ain't no big guys. These are little kids that I'm looking at that went on missions and it's just ridiculous."
Smith said she hopes the teens are found guilty so Tyree can get the justice he deserves.
"It would be justice for me," Smith said. "Even though it would be another kid in the justice system, but there's no other place for them but jail. I don't want them dead so I want them in jail."
Tyree's family wasn't able to comment on specifics of the court case going on because the defendants are juveniles, but Shirley did say they've been told details about why the shooting occurred.
He said police told them Tyree was not the intended target.