JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Mandarin High School football star is fighting for his life in the ICU after being shot in the head this weekend.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is investigating Saturday’s shooting at a San Marco neighborhood as an accident.
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But the teenager’s family and friends are demanding more answers.
Those closest to Mikah Howell sing the 17-year-old’s praises.
“Mikah is the sweetest, most loving, caring child,” Justine Vazquez, Mikah’s close family friend, said.
They don’t share DNA, but Mikah and Justine Vazquez are family.
“I still get text messages from him saying ‘Auntie, can you come pick me up?’ He knows I’m always there for him,” she said.
Saturday night, Vazquez said Mikah was hanging out with friends at a home on Inwood Terrace in San Marco when he was shot in the head.
RELATED: JSO responding to a shooting in the San Marco area
JSO’s incident report doesn’t shed much light on what led up to the shooting. JSO only told us they’re investigating the shooting as an accident, though that doesn’t necessarily mean charges won’t ultimately be filed in this case.
Mikah’s family thinks there’s more to the story.
“A gun falling on the ground and going off, that’s an accident. Shooting someone in the head, that’s not an accident,” Vazquez said.
Family members say the swelling on Mikah’s head needs to go down before doctors can operate and remove the bullet.
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“He’s not an athlete that is the athlete that ‘Oh I’m an athlete, so I have to keep my grades up.’ He’s the, ‘I’ve got good grades so I can play and I’m smart.’ Super smart, 4.0 GPA,” Vazquez said.
Mikah is a rising senior at Mandarin High School where he’s a star receiver on the football team. He’s also in the Cambridge program and wants to study civil engineering at the University of Central Florida.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family with expenses. To learn more about that, click here.
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Mikah’s mom shared the following message about her son with Action News Jax on Wednesday and allowed us to share it:
“My son, Mikah Howell, is 17 years old. On Saturday, our lives changed forever when he was shot in the head. Today, he remains in the ICU fighting for his life.
“The bullet cannot be removed, and right now we do not know what the future holds. Every day is uncertain. Every hour is a waiting game. We are taking things one moment at a time, praying for healing, strength, and a miracle.
“What people need to know is that Mikah is so much more than what happened to him.
“Mikah is a student in the Cambridge AICE Program with dreams of attending the University of Central Florida and becoming a Civil Engineer specializing in Urban Planning and Development. He is intelligent, driven, and determined. He has played football, run track, and excelled both academically and athletically.
“But what makes Mikah truly special is his heart.
“He has a way of making every person feel important, like they are the only person in the room. He is kind, loving, compassionate, and fearless. He lights up every room he walks into and leaves people smiling wherever he goes. He loves being around people and genuinely enjoys making others feel seen, valued, and cared for.
“As his mother, I have watched him grow into an incredible young man. He is wise beyond his years, a natural problem solver, and someone who never gives up when faced with a challenge. If there is something he wants to learn, solve, or accomplish, he puts his whole heart into it until he succeeds. He is not your average teenager. He has big dreams, a bright future, and so much life left to live.
“Our family is devastated, but we are standing strong beside him as he fights. We are asking our community for prayers, support, and help bringing awareness to the devastating impact of gun violence.
“My son is not a headline. He is not a statistic.
He is Mikah. He is loved beyond measure. He is someone’s child, someone’s friend, someone’s teammate, and someone’s future.
“And today, he is fighting for his life.
“We are asking anyone with information to come forward so our family can get answers and justice. We will continue to fight for Mikah just as hard as he is fighting every day.”
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