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Family uses basketball to honor Fairfield teen killed last year

Posted at 5:48 PM, Mar 10, 2017
and last updated 2017-03-10 22:47:59-05

FAIRFIELD, Ohio -- One Tri-State mom who lost her son to gun violence is giving to others through basketball.

The Knight family is holding a scholarship basketball tournament in honor of 18-year-old Jaylon Knight.

His mom, Serina Knight, is helping others in hopes someone will help police find the person who took her baby boy.

"I just want justice for Jaylon," she said last March after learning that someone shot and killed her son. "I want someone. Somebody knows something. It's not going to bring him back, but at least give us peace of mind. I want justice for my son."

A year later, they still have no answers.

"I don't have justice because I don't have anything," Knight said.

Hamilton police found Jaylon dead, slumped over the wheel of his car with a gunshot wound.

Jaylon Knight

Jaylon had been a star athlete at Fairfield High School. The weekend he was gunned down, he was supposed to be in a three-on-three basketball tournament with friends and family.

Jaylon's brother, Kevin Hill, said losing Jaylon was like losing part of his body.

"I put not only my youngest brother in the ground, but my best friend also," he said.

Now Knight keeps little reminders of Jaylon around. She also started a nonprofit named Just Us 4 Jaylon.

"It started off as me in my room, crying as a mother," she said. "And then from there, family gathered around and then friends gathered Around, and strangers gathered around."

Now Knight is having a basketball game played on the day Jaylon was killed a year earlier. They raised money for a scholarship that was awarded to a high school senior in Jaylon's name last year, and aim to do it again this year, Knight said.

The tournament is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday at Fairfield Middle School.

Police said the case is still under investigation, and they need tips. They have a $5,000 reward available for information that leads to an arrest and conviction.