JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Dari'one Flanigan was 18 years old when he was shot and killed, five years ago Monday.
His mom Vonette Nixon is still calling for justice for her son and wants the gun violence in the city to stop.
"Since June 24 of 2019, everyday, my prayer is God just let me make it through this day," said Nixon.
On the five-year anniversary of her son's death, Nixon still has no answers. She said she's noticed an increase in gun violence in her hometown of Jacksonville.
"It’s sad, it’s very heartbreaking," she said, "We’re burying our kids. If you live to be 18 in our community it’s a blessing. My son reached 18 ½ and then his life was taken."
In a news conference Monday, Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters addressed safety in the City after the Sunday shooting death of Jacksonville rapper Foolio's in Tampa.
"We are going to pay very close attention," Waters said. "We’re not going to allow you to just arbitrarily run around and spray bullets into people’s houses and cars and it’s just something we’re going to pay very close attention to and I want the public to be vigilant."
As Nixon stands at Dari'one's grave, remembering the short life he lived, she believes change needs to happen so another mom doesn't get the kind of call she got.
"I received the call that Dari’one had been shot and they think that he was unresponsive, about four hours later he passed away," said Nixon.
"As a mother I like to tell parents just try to know your kids, know the company that they keep, know the people that they’re around and just for our young black men you don’t want your mom to be standing here because it’s a pain it’s a void that can’t be filled," she said.
There is a $26,000 reward for anyone with any information into Dari'one Flanigan's death.
Tips to JSO can be submitted over email at JSOCrimeTips@jaxsheriff.org or by phone at 904-630-0500. You can also remain anonymous and contact First Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-8477 (TIPS).