HUNDREDS COMFORT TERRANCE KELLOM’S FAMILY AT VIGIL; WILL AUTOPSY SHOW BOTH FEDS, DPD SHOT HIM?

Terrance Kellom's father Kevin Kellom and mother greet large family turnout at vigil.

Terrance Kellom’s father Kevin Kellom, with his wife at left, and mother Nelda Kellom (center) greet large family turnout of all ages at vigil.

200 remember Terrance Kellom with sorrow, prayers, call for justice

Candlelight, balloons and floating lanterns provide comfort in midst of grief

Did DPD shoot 19-year-old father too? Autopsy alleged to show 7 shots in front, 2 in back, despite Chief Craig’s denial that DPD “took action” at scene

Uncle: Family members with toddlers were in home when police, including DPD, invaded

Crowd sends floating lanterns skyward in honor of 19-year-old father Terrance Kellom.

May 2, 2015 By Diane Bukowski

Terrance Kellom, 19, with baby son.

DETROIT — When a squad of cops shot Terrance Kellom to death April 19, their bullets also entered the hearts of hundreds of his family members and friends, who crowded his father’s front yard today to grieve for the 19-year-old father of one baby son, who will never see his second child born.

They wore dozens of varying T-shirts commemorating the young son, brother, cousin, and friend they called “Tee Tee.” “I will truly miss my Tee Tee,” one young woman said. “He was at my home every weekend with my brothers, and I’d be tripping over bodies. Now that he’s gone, I wish he was back.”

Family members in prayer at beginning of vigil. They raised funds through refreshments and donations for funeral expenses.

Another young woman remembered “Tee Tee” cutting off his sister’s ponytail when he was a child, then going on to collect other ponytails as well, for which he was whipped.

Jerry Bell, in light blue shirt, comforts his cousin as candles are lit.

His father Kevin Kellom bent over in tears at first, comforted by his cousin Jerry Bell and other family members, before telling the crowd how much he appreciated the outpouring of support to lift him up at this time.

Bell told VOD that his “little cousin” was getting his life back together, knowing he would have two children to raise. Kellom’s “Auntie Bobbie,” related to both sides of the family, called on them to keep their heads up.

Child comforts young woman.

“They were here for me when I lost my daughter at the age of 18,” she remembered.

Sandra Hines said, “They’re telling a lot of stories right now. But no matter what the story is, they didn’t have to shoot him. It was a slaughter. They took one of our precious loved ones again, and we cannot continue to stand for this.”

Detroit Police Chief James Craig has told the media that Kellom threatened Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.) agent Mitchell Quinn with a hammer before the agent shot and killed Kellom, allegedly wanted on an armed robbery warrant. Craig said Detroit police who were part of the multi-agency fugitive task force that barged into the Kellom home “took no action” themselves.

Some of the hundreds who attended the vigil.

But Kevin Kellom showed VOD today how his son was brought downstairs with two cops in front and two in back. He said he witnessed the first two shots by the agent, then was dragged into the dining room as a volley of other shots went off.

Uncle Tony Kellom, father Kevin Kellom, cousin Jerry Bell.

The mainstream media has basically debunked police claims that Terrance Kellom jumped on the second floor storage place until he fell through, startling the cops. A tour of the house showed there was no damage to the crawl space floor.

Kellom said that his son could easily have been arrested earlier when he took a walk with him to the local gas station.

Police have admitted that they had the family under surveillance. Chief Craig alleged that the senior Kellom has an outstanding warrant, but claimed he would “give him time to grieve” before arresting him. However, Third Judicial Circuit Court records show no such warrant. Kellom’s last encounter with the courts was in 2008, when he was given probation for the offense in question.

Family members also present at the scene, including Kevin’s brother Tony, told VOD there were numerous Detroit police in the home at the time. Tony Kellom said he, his brother, two of his brother’s daughters, and three little grandchildren were there during the raid.

Speaking in memory of Terrance Kellom.

“I’m here to help my brother get justice,” he said. “I heard my nephew call out, ‘Dad and Uncle Tony, help me.'” He said he was in the home’s basement during the invasion.

Children help each other light candles.

During the vigil, Ron Scott reported “unofficially” that the completed autopsy shows Kellom was shot seven times in the chest and twice in the back, which would make it highly likely that cops other than Quinn also shot the young man, in what the elder Kellom has called an “assassination.”

Police reported in their search warrant return that they had recovered seven shell casings and four fired bullet fragments from areas including the hallway at the bottom of the stairs, adjacent bedrooms, the bathroom and the molding of the door leading to the stairway. A funeral for Terrance Kellom is planned for Wed. May 6, 2015, according to a family member.

Family members and friends held hands in a large circle that surrounded both front yards.

But chief on today’s agenda was the huge outpouring of support from all over the city, including the North End where much of the family grew up. So the rest of this story is being told in pictures, so that the community of Detroit and police of all agencies may know who else was shot in the heart that day.