JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Micheal Holmes feels like his organization, Ambitious Kings and Queens Lions Youth, is under fire.
Prince Holland, 13, was shot and killed leaving football try-outs.
On Wednesday, the victim’s family and their attorney announced they will be launching an investigation on the organization.
“My thing is this you all are not contacting parents," said Chantel Brown, Holland's mother. "You all not following protocol. My son has played for another team before and those people would not take him home without contacting me asking if it was okay."
However, Holmes says the try-out was a meet and greet event. He says the team and its staff were gathering information from players on the field so they could have the opportunity to send out a waiver to family.
“Like that’s what the flyers were for. For parents and for anybody interested to reach out and get information. Like if we were hiding something and doing something wrong, we wouldn’t have our name and contact information on flyer that we were sending home to kids," said Holmes.
Holmes says on Dec. 3, shortly before the try-outs, kids showed up in front of his home.
He says he asked the kids in advance if their parents were aware of the coaches driving them to and from practice. Holmes said he and the other coaches split the kids up amongst the coaches cars.
He says Prince rode to the football field with the athletic director, and he left with him when try-outs were finished.
“We’ve been slandered and made bad guys for no reason. We didn’t do anything wrong," said Holmes.