‘He didn’t get to see 14:’ Family of Prince Holland celebrates his memory on day of 14th birthday

Saturday night, loved ones of Prince Holland celebrated what would have been his 14th birthday. Holland was tragically shot and killed in a drive-by shooting this past December while on his way home from football tryouts. Four others were also in that car, including his coach.

READ: Jacksonville sheriff announces arrest of ‘trigger-puller’ in murder of 13-year-old Prince Holland

At the event, Prince’s family told Action News Jax they’re trying to remain positive, but say the pain from losing their son will never go away, as this celebration was a somber remembrance.

“This the day he was supposed to be 14 … his 14th birthday,” Chantel Brown, Holland’s mother, told Action News Jax emotionally. “He didn’t get to see 14.”

And while the event served to celebrate the memory of Holland, some of those memories now come with a heavy heart.

“I just miss him, like, coming into my room at like 5 o’clock in the morning when he [was] getting up for school,” said Holland’s big sister, Teisha Johnson, with a sad smile. “He was always coming into my room and taking my lotion and stuff, cus he wanted to smell good for the girls at school … It’s kinda hard to be happy now that he’s not physically here.”

Investigators have since arrested two people for murder in connection to Holland’s death.

Kentrevious Garard was arrested in February and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said he pulled the trigger. Meanwhile, the month prior, in January, Marcel Johnson was taken into custody. Police said he was behind the wheel of the car that sped off.

The family also says, despite two arrests, they believe there’s more to the story, while once again expressing disappointment with Holland being in the vehicle with his football coach at the time, which they say was without their knowledge or permission.

We reached out to the president of that football league once again for a response, but he was yet to reply.

At the time of the second arrest made, JSO said they believe they are nearing the end of the case.

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