Maurice Wimbush-Jalaah was visiting friends in Prospect Village when he was killed Saturday, his family said.
TRENTON -- Maurice Wimbush-Jalaah had just returned to Trenton from living with relatives in Texas and was visiting friends in Prospect Village when he was killed Saturday, his family said.
Family and friends will gather at Waterfront Park in the South Ward Monday evening at about 7 p.m. to mourn the 15-year-old with a candlelight vigil. He would have been 16 next week.
Maurice Wimbush-Jalaah (Family photo) Aida Wimbush, Maurice's aunt, said her nephew was apparently shot by other teens during a pedestrian disagreement that should have never turned violent.
"They have no sense of life," Aida Wimbush said of youth in the city. "It's like they think it's a video game and they'll come back to life after you kill him."
Her nephew loved sports and comes from a large, extended family in Trenton with a solid base. Many members of the adult generation in the family work for the state of New Jersey, Aida Wimbush said.
As much as the family believes in Trenton, Aida Wimbush said, she and others of her generation sometimes send their children out of the area for school.
"We want them to see that there's more than Trenton," she said.
That is why Maurice was in Texas, she said. He has just returned to the city about two weeks prior and was catching up with friends Saturday.
Authorities have not announced any charges in the teen's killing.
He was wounded at about 3:45 p.m. Saturday and was pronounced dead at a city hospital a short time later.
Responding officers arrested two armed teens running from the scene, and officers found a third handgun not far from the scene.
Authorities have only charged the teens with gun crimes, and have not said if they were involved in Wimbush-Jalaah's killing.
The teens, Jashawn Smith, 18, and Juprie Wadley, 18, were detained at gunpoint by detectives Jonathan Cincilla and Crystal Everett.
Smith bolted from the confrontation and Cincilla ran after him, spotting Smith with a gun in his hand, police have said.
Smith is charged with unlawful possession of a weapon, obstruction and resisting arrest. Wadley is charged with unlawful possession of a weapon and having a defaced firearm.
Detectives also found the third handgun on Louise Lane, police said.
The Mercer County Homicide Task Force continues to investigating the killing Monday.
Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook.