PHOENIX (AZFamily) — A teenager is fighting for his life after being shot in the back while he was on his way to get a hamburger in southeast Phoenix over the weekend.
It happened late Saturday night, and police say the teenager was on his e-bike when someone opened fire.
Jonathan Walke’s mom told Arizona’s Family that her son was on his way to grab a late-night meal when he was shot in the back. As he recovers in the ICU, his family is desperate for answers.
“He got on his little e-bike, put his hood on, and took off at like 10:30,” said Brenda Mallory.
She said her 17-year-old son was on his e-bike heading toward In-N-Out on Baseline Road. “Eight minutes later, I got the phone call from him screaming that he had been shot,” Mallory said.
Police say around 10:45 p.m., someone inside a passing car fired the gun. Jonathan collapsed after getting shot in the back.
“By the time we got to the hospital, they were already carting him off into surgery because he had massive internal bleeding from the gunshot,” said Mallory.
Jonathan is well-known in his neighborhood, working shifts at The Original Burrito Co., greeting customers with a smile. “It has been a nightmare. It’s the worst possible call that you can get. But thank God it’s not the worst outcome. I know it could have been a lot worse,” she shared.
Video from that night also shows a nearby car, and if you listen closely, Jonathan’s mom says you can even hear the gunshot.
“You can hear the gunshot plain as day and it sends chills up my spine. You know, that’s the shot that could have killed my kid,” she shared tearfully.
Less than a mile away is also the Turning Point USA headquarters, which has seen an increase in traffic just over the last week. “I don’t know if they’re related. You know, could be, could not be, could just be some idiot, you know, trying to get into a gang,” Mallory said.
For her, the only thing that matters now is Jonathan’s recovery. “I want him to stay strong. I want him to be independent and still have his good heart. I would hate for him to turn into somebody negative over this incident,” she said.
Police have not released any information about a suspect and say no one is in custody. Meanwhile, the family is hopeful, adding that a detective has been assigned to their case. If you’d like to help, the family has a GoFundMe.
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