SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The mother and aunt of 18-year-old Joseph Scarlett are still reeling from what they said was the senseless killing of the aspiring registered nurse on Friday night in Midtown Sacramento.
In one of the busiest intersections for the city's nightlife, Scarlett's family members said he took his last breath in his girlfriend's arms on K and 20th streets.
Scarlett graduated from El Centro Senior High School and worked at Amazon. He was set to attend Yuba Community College next month, they said, to pursue his dreams of becoming a registered nurse.
"He loved to be around people, he loved making others laugh. His smile was so contagious. His life was taken too early," said his aunt Tabatha Murry. "They say God calls his strongest soldiers home to him. My nephew was so strong — he was a fighter."
His mother said earlier in the day, her son attended a funeral at Oak Park's St. Paul Missionary Church for a community activist known to keep youth off the streets and out of trouble.
The funeral was targeted by gunfire and landed another man in the hospital. Scarlett’s family said they want the suspected shooters' parents to know they raised horrible humans.
Police have not confirmed whether the incidents are connected.
Investigators said they believe a disturbance between two groups Friday night escalated into gunfire. Scarlett was shot at least once, and the killing remains under investigation.
The Sacramento Police Department encourages any witnesses with information regarding this investigation to contact the dispatch center at (916) 808-5471 or Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at (916) 443-HELP (4357). Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward up to $1,000. Anonymous tips can also be submitted using the free “P3 Tips” smartphone app.
ABC10: Watch, Download, Read
WATCH MORE: Upper Land Park Shooting Update: 22-year-old man arrested in connection to the shooting