Vigil held for 17-year-old boy shot to death in South Philly

SOUTH PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - A vigil was held Wednesday night for a 17-year old boy shot to death in South Philly,

"He was a great kid. I loved him to death. I loved him to death," said John Dillon. The pain of losing his youngest son is raw. He poured out his heart while sitting next to a memorial set up at 4th and Hoffman Street in South Philly where someone murdered his son.

"My family is going through hell," he said. The block is covered in flyers asking for information that can lead to the arrest of whoever shot 17-year-old Ryan Dillon.

It happened Friday around 1 p.m. in the afternoon. Police say he died at the hospital after someone shot him in the head and stomach.

"He didn't deserve this. Not for some punk who had a gun. It's a punk. It's a coward," said John. Family, neighbors and friends came out by the dozens to pray and light candles. John says his son was a big kid. He was the youngest of five boys. Ryan had joined the Mummers last year.

"I raised him to be a gentleman and a man of honor and he was. Never had a police problem with him, never had no problems with neighbors coming to me, he was a good kid and he didn't deserve this," said John. Police blocked off the street during the vigil. Rumors of retaliation spread. John surrounded by the crowd said he wasn't going to leave.

"This is South Philly. This is how South Philly rolls. We stick together and we love each other. We don't kill each other," he said.