Vigil in Orlando for Man Shot and Killed in Magic Mall Parking Lot

ORLANDO, Fla. – Dozens of family members gathered at the Magic Mall parking lot in Orlando on Saturday evening to remember the man shot and killed there earlier this month.

The vigil is held in honor of the memory of Joseph Phillips, who was shot and killed in the same parking on April 6.

“What you see here tonight is just our family trying to bring closure to Florida,” Gwen Phillips-Roberts, Joseph’s sister, said. “The Florida family. Because, like I said, a lot of them are not going to be able to make it to the funeral in Saint Thomas.”

Octavia Phillips-Roberts, another sister of Joseph, shared, “Joseph was my big baby brother. He would always lend a helping hand if you asked.”

“Life is life—but his life was just taken too quick,” another family member said.

According to police, Phillips was just an innocent bystander visiting a local restaurant.

His mother, Pearline Phillips, expressed her grief, telling News 6 “I’m going to miss his friendship. I’m going to miss his togetherness.”

The Orlando Police Department stated that an argument between two groups broke out while Phillips was leaving. During the fight, Keishawn Richards pulled out a gun and tried to shoot another person, but unintentionally shot Phillips in the head with a single bullet.

Pearline Phillips revealed that Richards is her grandson.

“He’s my grandson,” Pearline Phillips said. “And I don’t believe that he took his life. He didn’t do it intentionally. That was the bullet. He never did it intentionally.”

Despite the tragedy, she has already forgiven Richards, even though she knows he’ll be punished. She said she just wants everyone to remember Joseph as a gentle giant who loved everyone.

“I just pray to God to keep me. And I would like to take him back home. With the help of the community, I would like to.”

Phillips’ mother says they’re raising money through a GoFundMe to bring his body back to the Virgin Islands, where he’s from and went to school. She says that they’ll need $10,000 to reach that goal.