INDIANAPOLIS — In a house near Speedway, the family of 16-year-old Christian Peters gathered to share stories of what they say was a rising basketball star.
“I didn’t leave Africa to bury a child who is only 16. I’m not supposed to bury the child, the child is supposed to bury the parents,” Gentille Peters, Christian’s mom, said.
The Peters say they moved to Indiana from Africa in the early 90’s. The 16-year-old comes from a big family.
“I sent Christian a text at 9:36, and he replied to me right away. 20-minutes after that text message, his brother comes out of the room and says 'Mommy Christian got shot,” Gentille said.
Police say Christian was shot Tuesday night near Scotland Drive and Bank Lane on Indy’s west side. He died after being rushed to the hospital. An 18-year-old has been arrested for murder.
“Christian doesn’t have a high school diploma, he doesn’t have a driver’s license. Christian will never get married,” Nana Kahshama, Christian's aunt, said.
Christian’s family is speaking with a heavy heart, trying to find the words to describe the pain they are going through.
“I wish I had one more chance to try to talk to you and get through to you to leave that life alone. There is nothing out there in the streets,” Chandler Peters, Christian’s dad, said.
WRTV numbers show peters was the 17th kid under the age of 18 killed in Indianapolis this year. For all of last year, that number was 17. In 2021, that number was 17.
“I even asked him how he feels about life, if he wants to live. I said 'I need you to act like it because this life you are living, the people you are hanging with — it’s not who you should be with,” Chandler said.
Vanessa Romero runs Indy's Center for Conflict Resolution.
For the last few years, with the help of the Public Safety Foundation, the organization has worked to provide mediation and coaching services to teach people how to resolve conflicts without violence.
“The hardest thing we have to do within ourselves is respond versus reacting, and that’s not something that comes naturally,” Romero said.
Settling conflict without the use of violence is something Christian's family wants everyone to be aware of.
“The only thing that I can say right now is parents watch your kids — pay attention,” Gentille said.
WRTV has listed a few programs for teens.
Indy Peace Fellowship: Reducing gun violence through a data-driven community-based approach
- Part of their outreach is placement with youth-serving organizations providing mentoring services
- #IChoosePeace is a citywide initiative to choose peace over violence in Indy
- For more information, click here.
Indy PAL: Building trust by engaging youth and police through athletics and activities
- Focused on early intervention and building community trust and support for Indy's youth
- For more information, click here.
New B.O.Y.: Mentoring and youth development program for kids
- The organization encourages the young men to engage in group discussions that focus on a variety of topics from life to conflict resolution skills.
- For more information, click here.
