ABBEVILLE, La. (KLFY) — The family of 24-year-old Bailey Jace DuBois gathered Sunday evening to honor his memory with a candlelight vigil. It was just days after he was shot and killed in what many are calling a senseless act of violence.

The shooting has shaken the Abbeville community, not only because of DuBois’s death, but because of the age of the suspect, a 15-year-old now facing a murder charge.

Pastor Lawrence Levy III of Freedom International Ministries, who was invited to speak at the vigil, said tragedies like this have become far too familiar.

“This ain't new,” said Pastor Levy. “I just think that at the end of the day, enough of us as citizens, concerned citizens and those that are in leadership; we are not working together enough.”

Levy didn’t know DuBois personally but said the circumstances surrounding his death reflect deeper issues within the community.

“Our guidance with our youth has gone wrong and somebody's got to care,” he said. “Somebody's got to care. I don't care if they Black, white, no matter the color, if it's a child, they should be protected.”

According to authorities, DuBois was walking when he was fatally shot. Pastor Levy called the incident a clear sign that violence is becoming more accessible to young people and more dangerous for everyone else.

“Why would a 15-year-old have a gun?” Levy asked. “This is a crime that happened because somebody just wanted to murder. Somebody was just riding around looking for a life.”

As candles flickered and tears fell, Levy issued a challenge to the adults in the community: step up before more young lives are lost.

“When you can't do it by yourself, you need a village,” he said. “And the village has to come together and really do what they say they're going to do. So find them a mentor before they lose their life.”

Levy said he hopes DuBois’s death becomes a turning point for Abbeville.

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