‘They’re forgiven from me’ | Father of Elijah DeWitt forgives his sons shooters

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - On Friday, Craig DeWitt said he forgives the shooters who killed his 17-year-old son, Elijah DeWitt.

“You know, we don’t know the kids. We don’t know their backgrounds. We don’t know their story. They’re forgiven from me,” said Craig DeWitt, outside of his Jefferson house on Friday. “He [Elijah] was an amazing kid. He looked at every day as a gift, and he lived life definitely to the fullest,” said DeWitt.

According to authorities, Elijah DeWitt was with friends at the Dave and Buster’s at the Sugarloaf Mills Mall on Wednesday, when he was shot and killed around 8 p.m.

RELATED | Jefferson mourns high school football standout Elijah Dewitt

On Thursday, two suspects, 19-year-old Chandler Richardson and 18-year-old Kemare Brown, were arrested by sheriff’s deputies in Anderson, South Carolina.

On Friday, a judge denied bond for both suspects. They will be extradited back to Gwinnett County on Monday.

Elijah’s mom, dad, and sister sat down with an Atlanta News First crew on Friday afternoon.

“People may ask why do you sit down and do this. He was the love of our lives. And we want people to see how amazing he is and will forever be,” said Dawn DeWitt, Elijah’s mom.

Elijah was a senior at Jefferson High School. He was a standout wide receiver on the football team, starting to get interest from Division 1 schools.

His dad said Elijah had just been invited to the University of Georgia for a recruiting visit at the Bulldogs’ Saturday game against Auburn.

Dawn DeWitt said some of Elijah’s organs have already been donated to others, including his eyes and heart valves.

His sister, Delaney, said it’s Elijah’s confidence she’ll remember most.

“Whenever I get into, either it’s a game, grades, school. Anything I’m doing - whether it’s social- I know he’s going to be in the back of my brain being like, ‘You got it, I know you got it,” said Delaney on Friday.

Elijah’s family said a candlelight vigil is scheduled for Sunday evening in Jefferson.

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