THE FATHER OF SLAIN 16 YEAR OLD FROM NIGERIA SAYS HE FORGIVES THE SHOOTER

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The father of a slain 16-year-old boy who was bound for stardom as a future basketball player says he forgives the 14-year-old who took his son’s life.

Oluwadurotimi Joseph “Timi” Oyebola was shot once in the head as he played basketball on a court in Brownsville, Brooklyn back on September 21.  The incident unfolded when the alleged shooter, Aaron Nathaniel, 14, and also from Brooklyn, walked up to the park where Oyebola was playing ball and fired several shots. Oyebola was struck in the forehead and rushed to Brookdale Hospital in critical condition where he was later pronounced dead.

Police later learned that Oyebola was an innocent bystander and not the intended target.

Nathaniel had managed to elude the police until an arrest was made Wednesday night, almost two weeks after he fired two bullets into a group of teens on the Chester Playground in Brownsville.

Oyebola, who was a junior at Brooklyn Ascend High School and a popular point guard on the basketball team, had moved to New York City from Lagos, Nigeria, in 2013.

At a vigil held in honor for Oyebola on Monday night, his father, David Oyebola, who condemned gun violence and demanded justice for his son, told reporters, “I forgive him. I forgive this child who murdered my son. Jesus is the answer. Jesus is the way.”

A wake was held for Timi Oyebola at the Guarino Funeral Home and his funeral is set for Saturday.

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