AKRON, Ohio — An Akron family who lost a 17-year-old boy to gun violence this summer feels like they're finally closer to getting justice.
A third suspect has been arrested in connection with the shooting death of Antenio Louis. His family and close friends called him Teno.
As the cases work their way through the court system, Teno's grandmother, Tracy Snyder, is working on launching a non-profit that would reach kids at a young age and convince them to stay away from guns and violence.
"I'm gonna start with kids when they're five and six years old to give them a different mindset about being good kids," Snyder said.
Snyder said the nonprofit will called "Ball for Teno," which will honor his love for football while also stressing to kids how gunfire devastates families.
"There's no turning back from this. This is not a PlayStation game. This is not a mulligan. You can't go back. This is permanent," Snyder told News 5.
Loved ones said Teno was passionate about football and started playing at a young age. He was on the Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary team before transferring to East High School, where he played for the Dragons.
Snyder raised Teno and said she taught him to be a good kid in order to have a good life.
"Antenio was a good kid, a great kid, and from the time that he was little, I tried to do the right thing," Snyder said. "He played football from the time he was 8 years old, but wrestling made him a better football player," she said.
On Aug. 16, Teno was on his way to football practice as a passenger in a car driven by a 23-year-old friend.
Police said a second vehicle pulled in front of them and opened fire on E. Glenwood Avenue near Dan Street in Akron's North Hill neighborhood. Teno and his friend were both shot inside a Hyundai Sonata.
The driver was injured. Teno was transported to Cleveland Clinic Akron General, where he died.
"My family, we're just grieving, and we just want this process to go along," said his aunt, LaToya Snyder.
She continues to be haunted by a final text conversation she had with Teno just 15 minutes before the shooting.
"I have a text message on my phone. He said, 'Auntie, I can't miss practice. My first game is tomorrow.' So that's all he wanted to do. He wanted to make it to practice," Snyder said.
This week, Akron police arrested Khairi Moorer, 22, of Akron, and charged him with aggravated murder.
Last month, Ahmere Williams, 20, was arrested and charged with aggravated murder and a third suspect, a 17-year-old boy, is charged with murder.
The family hopes the arrests lead to justice, and they believe their eventual non-profit, aimed at curbing violence, can make a difference.
"I feel like we all need to come together as a community so we can make sure that kids know at an early age that it's a brighter future for them," Snyder said.
