JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A viewing was held Friday night for a Jacksonville 13-year-old killed in drive-by shooting.
Joseph Adams was Prince Holland’s former football coach a few years back. He was there and told First Coast News that the loss is a difficult one.
“It was exciting to see him, I used to pick him up and everything, and you know they used to come to my house sometimes and spend the night when we had away games," said Adams. "So it's hard to see what happened because we knew this kid."
Adams says it was last Saturday night he found out Holland was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting coming back from football practice in the Moncrief area.
“It already hurts when you see it done to other kids but when you know the person it takes a lot out of you and I mean it just broke me down when the kids were calling me and telling me," said Adams. "I mean because I knew this kid because he used to be around me, and he was a good kid."
The drive by shooting also critically injured the driver, who was the team’s athletic director, and Holland’s teammate.
That driver's attorney tells us he was shot 10 times shielding the other boys and that he is still in the ICU. An 11-year-old boy was also shot but is expected to be ok.
As of Wednesday, First Coast Crime Stoppers says they’ve received three tips about the shooting, which they describe as surprisingly low.
“It’s a touching situation for a parent when you got to go in that room and your baby haven’t lived his life you don’t know what your child is going to become or what their future is, and it's taken from you," said Adams. "For parents, it’s a hard pill, but the city has to come together."
Holland’s funeral will be held tomorrow at noon and his mother is inviting community members to come out and show support for Holland.
Duval County Public Schools says after a traumatic event takes places they have specially trained counselors available to the school community.