LAUREL, Del. -- On Sunday, family members, friends, and others in the Laurel community gathered in the Laurel High School auditorium for a viewing and funeral for Corey Mumford.
Mumford, 18, was killed April 14 in a deadly shooting at the Wexford Village Apartments in Laurel.
Mumford was a senior at Laurel High School and a shining player on the school’s Varsity Basketball team. This past March, Mumford was recognized by the Delaware Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Association as a top 15 “Gold Boys” player in the state. He had also recently won the Blue-Gold Basketball All-Star Game MVP Award, according to the Laurel School District.
Corey's cousin, Syreniti Bennefield attend the viewing. She says losing Corey still feels like a nightmare.
"I'm trying so hard not to go into a bad place," says Bennefield through tears. "I'm trying to be strong for everybody, but I can't, I can't."
She says her cousin had a bright future ahead of him and she reminded him to "be careful".
Juan Saez - also related to Corey - attended the service supported by several of his motorcycle club.
"No parent should have to bury their child, and it's sad to have to see my cousin bury her child," says Saez.
Many others did not know Corey or his family, but were shaken by his death and the impact gun violence has had on the Laurel community.
"We have to get these kids and teach them right from wrong and tell them that what they're doing is not okay," says Corey Smith of the Thunderguards Motorcycle Club. "There's not a future in it. At the rate they're going, it's either death or jail."
All agreed that more love for young people is needed in Laurel.
"We can definitely show our presence and let the young people know that we love them, because we do," says Pastor Rosalyn Winder. "I used to teach at a high school and they need our presence. Gun violence, we need to stand up for it because it's really killing our young people."
A community turning pain into purpose.