On Wednesday, a vigil was held in memory of a Brooklyn teenager who lost his life to gun violence. Just days before his 17th birthday, the community gathered to honor Ka’Mardre Coleman, a beloved high school football star.
Outside Ka’Mardre’s home, a heartfelt tribute took shape as dozens of family members and friends came together. They remembered the talented player from the Sheepshead Bay Sharks, whose promising future was tragically cut short when he was shot in the chest inside a neighborhood NYCHA building on Monday evening.
In a poignant display of grief and remembrance, mourners released balloons shaped like the number 5, symbolizing the jersey number the teen wore in both football and basketball. Signs with the words “Forever 16” captured the collective heartbreak.
“He was my heart, my everything, my baby,” shared Ka’Mardre’s older sister, Julani Bannister, who is 21. “He was a beacon of light and my constant companion. I always tried to keep him safe. I just want to say ‘I’m sorry. I’m sorry.’”
Bannister described her brother as a role model for children, including his own nephews and nieces. “He inspired others with his ambitions and dreams. He was on the dean’s list and part of the National Championship team, poised to play varsity. My brother was cherished by all,” she added.
“His smile could light up a room. He was incredibly loving, and I can’t stop shedding tears,” Bannister expressed.
Ka’Mardre was killed at the public housing building after a fellow 16-year-old allegedly took a handgun out of his backpack and passed it around to four people in the room, according to police and court records.
He then allegedly took the gun back and removed a loaded magazine from the firearm. A round then discharged from the weapon — striking Ka’Mardre in the chest, according to a criminal complaint.
The teenage gunman, whose name has not been released, has since been charged with second-degree manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon in the first degree.
Bannister said she wants to know what happened the night her brother was shot.
“If your finger is on the gun, that’s not an accident,” she said.
The slain teen’s father, Codwell Coleman, also told The Post over the phone that his son was a “great athlete” who worked hard to get stellar grades.
“He was all about life. He was well-mannered, good in school, a great athlete. He used to struggle in school, and I said he couldn’t play sports until he got his academics to number one,” the heartbroken father said. “His academics now match his sports. He put in the hard work. He’s been on a journey. I’m proud of him.”
The dad tragically revealed that Ka’Mardre is now the second son he will have to bury.
“He should have gotten up and left [when he saw the gun], but you know how kids are. I lost another son six years ago — my oldest — and now I lost my baby … It hasn’t hit me yet. It was a shock. I hurt. I can’t even talk about it,” Codwell Coleman recalled.
Several friends of Ka’Mardre remembered him as a good kid who loved to film dance videos on TikTok and stressed that he had no affiliation with gangs.
Karter McRae, a 16-year-old classmate at Sheepshead Bay High School, remembered Ka’Mardre as a fun-loving co-captain of his school’s junior varsity football team, who led with a “million-dollar smile.”
“His memory will be cherished. I was supposed to take photos of him on his birthday on Friday to celebrate him,” McRae said.
There will be another vigil on Friday evening, which was supposed to be Coleman’s 17th birthday, at the high school.
“He was a goofball. I’m just so sad. It just hurts. His mom is hurting. She is trying to get her thoughts together. She is in a nightmare right now,” said Coleman’s aunt, Elexiss Oquendo.
“She thinks this isn’t real, and she will wake up. Friday is his birthday. He died before his 17th birthday.”
