‘Please stop killing our babies’: Mother of 11-year-old shooting victim speaks out

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - The family of 11-year-old Matthew Fortenberry is simply heartbroken.

According to Baton Rouge Police, Fortenberry was shot and killed inside a car on the night of Thursday, March 16.

RELATED: BRPD: 11-year-old killed in shooting, teenage suspect in custody

“That was the worst thing he could’ve ever did. You know, never in a million years would I have thought it would be me, every time I close my eyes to go to sleep, I see my baby dying all over again,” said Francesca Isaac, the mother of Matthew Fortenberry.

Police said following an altercation with another unidentified person, the 17-year-old suspect held Mathew, his mother, and others hostage in the car. The suspect is now behind bars.

“I tried to start the truck up‚ but when he realized that who he wanted was gone, he went on Matthew’s side. That’s when he shot fire at Matthew’s side and when he shot the fire at my baby’s side my baby said ‘mama he shot me’,” said Isaac.

Matthew died at a hospital from his gunshot wounds.

The 11-year-old had his entire life ahead of him and won a basketball championship the week before.

“Please stop killing our babies. Please put the guns down, and let our babies go,” said Isaac.

Isaac doesn’t want another mother to experience the pain she is left with after losing a child.

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