PHILADELPHIA - The mother of Nicolas Elizalde is speaking out after her son was gunned down in a shooting that also injured four others as he finished football practice at Roxborough High School.
Nicolas’ mother, Meredith, stopped by Good Day Philadelphia Friday morning, - a day before what would have been his 15th birthday - to remember her son and share a message to those responsible for his death.
Elizalde, a student at Saul High school, was among of group of teens who were leaving a joint football scrimmage when five gunmen emerged from a car and unleashed more than 60 shots. Nicolas was struck and succumbed to his injuries.
The other four victims are expected to physically recover.
"He is one of a kind. He’s never said an unkind word. He has never once disobeyed me, never raised his voice to me, never," Meredith Elizalde explained. "I know every mother thinks that their child is special, and of course they are, but my son was absolutely unique and every moment with him was a joy to me."
Meredith, a teacher in Philadelphia, was in attendance at the scrimmage and was waiting for her son by their car when she heard the shots ring out. At that time, she says she didn’t actually know where he was. She says God told her to run, and that it was her son who was in trouble.
"I started running. Everyone else was running down the hill. I ran up the hill," she recalled.
She says the shots continued as she ran, and she stopped counting after about ten. As she kept running up the hill, she says she could see one body on the ground.
"The first thing I saw was his cleat. We just bought those cleats in the summer," she said. "God told me right when I got there, before I even got up to his body that ‘He’s going to go. You have to let him go.’"
Meredith recalls screaming in distress, calling 911, and laying down next to her son.
"I felt him pass. I felt him leave," she added.
Police are continuing to search for at least six suspects in connection with the shooting, including the five alleged gunmen. One of those suspects has since been identified by police as a 16-year-old boy.
Nicolas’ mother says the suspects still being at large is ‘stealing her peace’ and her ability to grieve.
"I want justice for my son and for all the victims. My son is special to me, of course, but we acknowledge that all mothers have the same pain, all victims deserve the same attention. I don’t presume to speak for other people, but I do want to acknowledge the pain that our city is in," Meredith said.
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Prior to Friday morning’s interview, Meredith wrote out a message for her son’s killers, and anyone who may be helping hide them from law enforcement. You can read her message below:
"Today I speak as a mother and on behalf of my son Nick – the most perfect son and gentle soul that any mother could ever have. I was blessed to have 14 years with Nick and I loved every second. My son deserves all the honor and outpouring that he is receiving now. However, I also think of all the other victims and families who are not receiving attention. I do not presume to speak for you, but please know that I am praying for you and thinking of you now – just as my son and I always did. I want to connect with you and support you and feel your support and wisdom as I navigate through this tragedy.
This is directly to the people harboring the assassins: In Islam we believe that if you take one life it’s as if you’ve killed all of humanity. If you save a life, it’s as if you saved all of humanity. I urge you to turn them in and spare our city any further bloodshed. Muslims believe that paradise lies at the foot of the mother. I am a mother and you are stealing my peace.
My son was innocent. My only child. The only thing that I have in my life. You are robbing him of justice. I understand that some people may have information but live in fear because of the state of the emergency that our city is in due to gun violence. I do not say this lightly, but fear none but God. I promise you that if you have information and are afraid to come forward that I will welcome you into the light and pray for you until the end of my days. If you are one of the ones physically harboring these villains, I implore you to feel my all-encompassing pain and please come forward.
And to the assassins themselves: Your actions are wicked and despicable. You are guilty of stealing a most precious life – my son Nick. You may think that you will escape earthly justice, but I promise you that despite all that you have taken from me you have not and will never take my faith. God is the ultimate judge and none of us will escape the final judgment. I urge you to turn yourselves in. You have broken my heart beyond belief, but despite that, I do not want further bloodshed. I do not want your mothers to feel what I feel. Use Nick’s conscience and turn yourselves in."
You can watch the full interview in the video above.