Grieving mothers speak out after double homicide on Azalea and Cottage Hill

Mobile Police identified the victims as 16-year-old Ja’Kobi Freeman and 19-year-old Cameron Montgomery.
Published: Mar. 23, 2022 at 10:53 PM CDT
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MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - FOX 10 News spoke with the victims families of a tragic homicide that happened last week.

Last Friday, two teens were shot and killed in the middle of the day on Azalea and Cottage Hill Road.

Mobile Police identified the victims as 16-year-old Ja’Kobi Freeman and 19-year-old Cameron Montgomery.

Freeman’s mother Verjessica Harris says they certainly didn’t see this coming, and have no idea why their sons were targeted.

“I just don’t understand why my baby or Cam was targeted like this,” Harris said. “I just don’t understand it. I don’t know why...I don’t know why.”

Not many answers coming from Mobile Police either.

At a press conference Monday Police Chief Paul Prine said they believe they have a suspect who is connected to their deaths but he isn’t ready to release that name.

Cameron’s mother Chaquita Montgomery says these two young boys, practically best friends, didn’t deserve to die like this.

“Put the guns down. If you got a problem with somebody do what we did, fight it out!” Montgomery said. “And let it go and go about your business. Ya’ll ain’t doing nothing but hurting families. It could be you next and your momma gonna feel our pain.”

A vigil to honor the teens was held Sunday. Gunfire also disrupting the evening with over 70 rounds fired.

Both mothers saying more lives could’ve been lost that night.

“Kobi was well loved, Cameron was well loved. I don’t understand it, it’s just a mess,” Harris said. “It’s heartbreaking because all us was out there. And those kids was out there. Somebody else kid could’ve lost they life. We could’ve lost our life, and its tragic. I don’t understand why they was shooting.”

“They wanted to come there and wreck their candlelight vigil. And they came and did what they did and that’s so disrespectful,” Montgomery said.

No one was shot at the vigil. An MPD officer also fired his weapon.

Four people were arrested but no one was charged with firing a gun.