A GoFundMe has been created for a 16-year-old boy who was shot and killed in Stockton on Saturday, June 13.
The mother of Stockton resident, Valentino Mark Gilmore, setup a fundraiser to help the family with financial needs following her son’s death. As of Tuesday, the GoFundMe’s goal was set as $3,500 and had raised a total of $512.
Police said Gilmore was found by officers in a vehicle that has crashed into a tree in Hickock Court.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The family said the teen was set to graduate this year and aspired to pursue a career in auto mechanics because of his passion for fixing cars.
Gilmore’s mother said her son was taken from her due to gun violence and the family was raising money to alleviate the financial burden of missing work to be with her children and navigate the difficult time.
She described her son as being an amazing person and a one of a kind soul who was loved by many people.
Gilmore was a son, brother, nephew, uncle and grandson, his mother said.
“He had a genuine heart and soul. He was the life of the party … if he knew you were not feeling good or just feeling down he would do his best to make sure you would laugh and forget why you were down,” Gilmore’s mother wrote on the fundraiser page.
She added, “No donations is too small… we understand if you cannot donate at this time, please share and even comment on a memory of Val.”
Record reporter Victoria Franco covers public safety in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at vfranco@gannett.com. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.
This article originally appeared on The Record: GoFundMe created for Stockton teen shot, killed
Reporting by Victoria Franco, The Stockton Record / The Record
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By Victoria Franco, The Stockton Record | USA TODAY Network
