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Community Reacts After Boy's Death Investigated As Homicide

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Barway Collins has become a household name in the Twin Cities these past few weeks.

Billboards bear his name, a reward was posted for tips on the case.  Dozens and dozens of people who never knew Barway spent their days combing through brush and alongside the Mississippi River.

Before the worst was confirmed - a rattled pastor Harding Smith spoke in the pulpit of a 10-year-old now known to people he never met. Pastor Smith of Spiritual Church of God in Robbinsdale spoke to his congregation Sunday morning before they officially learned of Barway's death.

"Community is on edge, community is devastated," Smith said.

The community is also divided. Some have screamed for Barway's father, Pierre Collins, to come forward.

"There are people right now who are furious because of the love for this boy that if they were able to get hold of the person who did this, there would be hell to pay," Smith said.

But Pastor Smith says he is standing with the family.

"A lot of people saying 'Pastor why are you walking with this man, he is guilty', it is not my job I do not judge, I am not God," Smith said.

He asked parishioners and fellow Liberians not to judge, just to support.

"Barway's always on our mind, we've been thinking of him, doing searches for him, it's been a really difficult time for this church," Smith said.

And difficult for strangers too, who volunteered to search for a boy they never knew.

Georgia Totimeh, a mother of five searched for Barway.

"We pray for him every day, he's been a part of our hearts," Totimeh said.

One of the online groups - Hope for Barway - has renamed themselves Justice for Barway.

The organizer of the group of local moms says they will never forget "the boy we never met, but loved as our own."

Someone who did know Barway, his school principal, said he was known for politely holding the door open for other kids.

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