Family: Shooting victim at Lawrence gas station had picked up extra shift, is new dad
LAWRENCE, Ind. (WISH) — The family of Tavaris “TJ” Hall Jr. wants the community to tell police what happened Sunday.
The 22-year-old was shot in the head while working at the Thornton’s gas station on Pendleton Pike. Lawrence police said nothing was stolen; the suspect just started shooting.
Deputy Chief Gary Woodruff of Lawrence Police Department said, “In this particular case, the individual just entered the store and almost immediately started firing and that’s very disturbing.”
Hall’s family said he picked up a shift to cover for a coworker. His mom, Brandy Hall, said he had been trying to save money to help support his girlfriend and their 2-week-old baby.
Brandy Hall said, “My son didn’t deserve this. He didn’t deserve to get shot, done like some thug on the street. He was trying to take care of his son, take care of his girl.”
His dad, Tavaris Hall, was nearby when the family got the call and got to the crime scene right away.
“Like, are you serious? I mean I still haven’t processed, and it’s still hard, too,” Tavaris Hall said.
The thoughts haunts Eboni Williams, TJ’s girlfriend and the mother of his child. “You just didn’t care. You didn’t show that you had compassion for anything and you didn’t take anything, you tried to take his life and take him away from people who love him.”
TJ Hall’s family won’t settle for a world without him. Their hope is positivity will help his healing process as he fights for his life in the hospital. “I’m just trying to stay strong for our baby, trying to stay strong for him,” Williams said.
Brandy Hall said, “He’s a fighter. He’s fighting every day to get through this.”
Until he has the strength to do it on his own, his family will fight for him.
Tavaris Hall Sr. said, “Get the guy who did this so he don’t hurt anybody else. He’s going to get it. He’s going to get caught one way or another.”
The family will have a prayer service at Thornton’s at 8 p.m. Sunday. The family members are begging the community to speak up and tell police what happened. Lawrence police are asking anyone with information to call them.
