Classmates mourn ‘caring, compassionate’ teen killed in hit-and-run on his way to take ACT

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Basketball teammates, chap seniors clasp memorial for 17-year-old Riverside High pupil who died Saturday

The Riverside High School elder people and 17-year-old Michael “Prince” Walton's hoops squad held a memorial ceremonial astatine the schoolhouse Friday for the “caring, compassionate, genuine” teen who was killed implicit the play successful a hit-and-run adjacent Murray Hill.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Many students astatine Riverside High came to schoolhouse Friday wearing reddish to amusement their emotion for 17-year-old Michael “Prince” Walton, who was killed Saturday lone a fewer blocks from his precocious schoolhouse -- wherever helium was headed to instrumentality the ACT.

The elder people and his hoops squad held a memorial ceremonial astatine the schoolhouse Friday for the “caring, compassionate, genuine” teen who was killed implicit the play successful a hit-and-run adjacent Murray Hill.

“We inactive don’t judge this is existent and everything truthful we’re conscionable trying to support our heads up arsenic a squad and instrumentality together,” said Trent Watson, 1 of Prince’s teammates. “He conscionable kept each our vigor up. If helium came astir us, helium conscionable would support our heads up erstwhile we were down. He was similar a motivator to each of us.”

Right present — A peculiar solemnisation astatine Riverside High to grant 17 y/o Michael ‘Prince’ Walton who was killed successful a hit-and-run clang implicit the weekend. Students are dressed successful reddish to retrieve their friend. ‘Be similar Mike #2’ is written successful chalk connected the court. @wjxt4 pic.twitter.com/Q10Bk0kyW0

— Brittany Muller (@BrittMullerNews) September 17, 2021

Coach David Jones said Prince was the benignant of subordinate you wanted others to emulate.

“You conscionable privation to beryllium the benignant of kid helium was. I mean helium was caring, compassionate,” Jones said.

Prince was a person connected and disconnected the hoops court. A teacher told News4Jax helium was the “definition of a large student.”

“He loved to animate others to motivate others to beryllium their champion whether it was students, teachers,” his mother, Renee Walton, said.

The person to galore and loving lad had been anxious to spell to assemblage and survey carnal therapy.

“He was a real, genuine person of people,” his father, Michael Walton, said. “No substance who you were. He loved people.”

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said a antheral who was driving a 2022 Hyundai Sonata ran a reddish airy earlier causing the crash. Investigators said the antheral past abandoned the crashed conveyance and entered a metallic conveyance connected Edgewood Avenue, possibly a rideshare car.

Prince’s parent had an affectional connection for the operator who near him and didn’t telephone 911.

“We cognize that you’re astir apt scared, but enactment yourself successful our shoes and conscionable bash the close happening and crook yourself in,” she said.

Prince’s household and friends anticipation the operator is caught truthful they tin get justness and person closure.

“It’s 1 happening to harm a vehicle, oregon to harm thing material, but you took a life. A beingness close determination -- helium would person cared for you,” Michael Walton said.

Prince’s ceremonial is astatine 11 a.m. Saturday astatine Philippian Community Church connected New Kings Road. The household is asking everyone to deterioration a shadiness of blue, preferably royal blue, to the service.