It happened around 12:25 Saturday morning at 73 Maynard Street in the Mason Square section of Springfield. The victims was 19-year-old Mario Hornsby. Springfield Police Captain Robert McFarland says Mario was with a group of friends when another group opened fire on them.Hornsby was taken to Baystate Medical Center and died around 1am. Hornsby was the captain of the Central basketball team and was set to graduate this year.
SPRINGFIELD - The friends and family of Central High School basketball standout Mario Hornsby Jr., slain by gunfire Saturday morning, are planning a youth rally this afternoon in his honor.
Hornsby's uncle, John L. Grimes, said the rally is about mending a community that for too long has been riven - and silenced - by such violence.
"It's time-out for 'don't snitch, don't tell,'" Grimes said. "That's killing our young people. That doesn't work....We have to stop the violence at any cost."
That includes, Grimes said, cooperating with police in their investigation of his nephew's slaying and every other act of violence that occurs here.
"We have to stand up and we have to do the right thing," Grimes said. "Somebody definitely knows something."
The rally begins 4 p.m. in a vacant lot at Willard Avenue and Shattuck Street.
Hornsby's father, Mario Hornsby Sr., is bus driver for Peter Pan Bus Lines which is providing a Futureliner bus, which doubles as a stage for the rally.
"Here at Peter Pan our hearts just ache for him, Robert J. Schwarz, executive vice president, said of the elder Hornsby.
Police believe that Hornsby, a senior and captain of the Central basketball team, was the unintended target of two assailants who fired on a crowd of teens on Maynard Street shortly after midnight.
Central seniors held an impromptu assembly this morning where students were allowed to speak freely on stage and share their stories and feelings about Hornsby, Tad S. Tokarz, assistant principal in charge of athletics, at Central, said.
Counseling, meanwhile, is ongoing for both students and staff.
Professionals from all corners of the school district are at Central today doing what they can, Tokarz said.
"We have many trained professionals that are really helping us with different activities and different ways of expressing emotions and sharing feelings and starting the grieving process," Tokarz said.
Springfield police say receiving "helpful" leads in their ongoing probe of the shooting.
"They are receiving some helpful information and they are following up on all leads," Springfield Police Department Public Information Officer Marcia L. Brown said.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- A 17-year-old youth has been arrested in connection with the shooting death of Mario Hornsby Jr., 19, on Saturday.
The Central High School honors student and basketball team captain was killed when someone fired shots into a group of people he was with.
Police Capt. Robert McFarlin said officers arrested Kieson Cuffee of Springfield on Monday, about two hours after a rally in Hornsby's memory.
Cuffee was charged with murder and possession of a small amount of marijuana found on him when he was arrested. He is being held without bail until his arraignment Tuesday in Springfield District Court. It is not immediately known if he has an attorney.
More than 500 people gathered in a lot on Shattuck Street and Willard Avenue on Monday afternoon to honor Hornsby.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- A second Springfield teenager has been arrested in the shooting death last month of a Central High School honors student and basketball team captain.
Mario Hornsby Jr., 19, was killed when shots were fired into a group of people on May 17. Police have said they don't believe Hornsby was the target.
On Thursday night, police arrested Daniel Williams III, 18, on a murder charge.
Police Capt. Robert McFarlin said Williams is to be arraigned on Friday in Springfield District Court. It's not immediately known if he has an attorney.
McFarlin did not say what role police believe Williams played in the shooting. He said more arrests are possible.
Kieson Cuffee, 17, pleaded not guilty to a murder charge in the case last month.
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