8 Years After Boy's Unsolved Shooting Death, Mayor Frey Proclaims 'Terrell Mayes Day' In Minneapolis

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- It has been eight long years since her son's life was stolen, but Marsha Mayes still isn't any closer to knowing why her 3-year-old was killed.

"Everybody says it gets easier with time. It doesn't. Somebody knows what happened. They knew something then, they know something now," Mayes said.

Her son, Terrell Mayes Jr., died in 2011, just two days after Christmas. He was with his brothers inside this home on Colfax Avenue in north Minneapolis when gunfire erupted outside. As the kids ran to safety, one of the bullets flew through the home, and hit the toddler.

As they do every year on this day, friends, family and community members gathered Friday night next to the home where the little boy died. The group prayed together and released three balloons for the three years Terrell was able to spend with his family.

Mayes says as long as she is alive, she will never stop working for justice.

"My faith is strong. The only way my faith is going dead is if I'm in the ground gone," Mayes said.

Terrell's family plans on celebrating his birthday at the same place this July.

Mayor Jacob Frey proclaimed Dec. 27, 2019 as "Terrell Mayes Day" in Minneapolis.

A spokesperson with the Minneapolis Police Department says they have no new updates in this case.

A $60,000 reward is still being offered to anyone with information that could lead to an arrest in this case. Anyone with information is asked to call 1-877-996-6222.