BURLINGTON, N.C. — A Triad youth sports team recently honored one of its players who was killed in a tragic accident in September.
Seven-year-old Mason Jenkins was killed after being hit by a stray bullet while sitting outside his apartment complex in Burlington.
Over the weekend, the Air Cavs Sports Club's football team held a ceremony to retire Mason's No. 50 jersey. They presented a framed jersey with the name MASONSTRONG across the back and a few other mementos — including a blanket with Mason's photo — to his father, James Jenkins.
"My son jersey was retired today by the Calvary!" Jenkins said in a Facebook post. "I'm at a loss of words ... I love the Aircavs Sports Club yall really been showing out for Mason."
Officers arrested three people related to Mason Jenkins' death, charging 24-year-old Syquan Mason-Rhames with first-degree murder and Tremaine Armstrong and Kemontae Crosby on lesser charges.
The shooting occurred on Sept. 19 after an argument involving a group of men at 1330 Beaumont Court. The argument spilled over into the apartment complex, where a shot was fired and hit Jenkins.
After Mason's death, his mother, Ashley Welcher, told WFMY News 2 that the incident made it nearly impossible to live at the apartment they had moved into just three months prior.
"We have a lot of grief and people here, he was a sweet precious little baby," Welcher said. "He was gone way too soon and he was way too young."
A family friend told WFMY News 2 after the shooting that, "sadly, (Mason's) sister doesn't want to come back home because she's scared. It's sad because (the mom) needs her daughter and her daughter needs her mom."
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