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Funeral Held For 16-Year-Old Shot And Killed On Bicycle In Dorchester

Friends and relatives comfort Laura Fatima Dos Santos as her son's casket is ushered out of St Peter’s Parish Church. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)
Friends and relatives comfort Laura Fatima Dos Santos as her son's casket is ushered out of St Peter’s Parish Church. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Friends and family gathered at St. Peter's Parish in Dorchester Thursday to remember the 16-year-old who was shot and killed last week while riding his bike.

Known in the neighborhood as "JoJo," Jonathan Dos Santos was in the ninth grade at McKinley Preparatory School, and played football for the Dorchester Eagles. He was described as lovable, kindhearted, and caring, a role model to his 9-year-old sister Jennifer.

Following Dos Santos' funeral, friends, family and community members turned their attention to stopping teen-on-teen violence.

Mourners gather for the funeral of 16-year-old Jonathan Dos Santos in St. Peter's Parish in Dorchester. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)
Mourners gather for the funeral of 16-year-old Jonathan Dos Santos in St. Peter's Parish in Dorchester. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Outside the church, the Rev. Richard "Doc" Conway asked a question that's been posed by authorities, including Boston's police commissioner and mayor.

“Who's protesting youth violence? Huh? I don't care if it's black, white, whatever — every life matters. Where is the outrage?"

Conway called on the community to tell authorities about recent unsolved shootings, as two mothers did this week, turning in their teenage sons who are now charged with the murder of Dos Santos.

Police say the two teens, one 14 and one 16,  "trapped" Dos Santos as he was riding his bike, and then shot him five times.

"Speak up. Why can't they be like these mothers? Do the right thing," Conway said. "You're never going to end violence if everybody has this secret code."

Jennifer Dos Santos and two friends sing a song in honor of her brother. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)
Jennifer Dos Santos and two friends sing a song in honor of her brother. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Authorities are concerned about gang activity in the aftermath of several shootings in Dorchester in recent weeks. But Isaura Mendes, a Dorchester woman who lost two sons to street violence, says the problem is less about gangs and more about the lack of love and forgiveness.

"I don't call our children a gang. They need love, and they need to learn to forgive," Mendes said.

Mendes' two sons were killed 11 years apart — Bobby in 1995 and Alexander in 2006.

"I don't know Jonathan, but as a mother, I feel the same pain, but I choose to choose love instead of hate," she said. "To help those who hurt, and to help those who took a life also."

This article was originally published on June 18, 2015.

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Simón Rios is an award-winning bilingual reporter in WBUR's newsroom.

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