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‘The worst moments of my life': Mother of 16-year-old son shot, killed in Pittsburgh shares heartbreaking story

PITTSBURGH — “My husband called and said to me, ‘I think we lost our baby because he turned blue in my arms.’ I prayed that he would make it,” said Velma Palombia.

Her son -- Tanner Morton -- was shot and killed in Pittsburgh’s Mt. Washington neighborhood Wednesday night, police said.

Around 7 p.m. Wednesday night, he was walking near Mount Washington Park when he was shot. His friends rushed him to his parents’ house and later that night he died at the hospital.

When officers arrived, they found a car that had been hit by a bullet, but could not find a victim or suspected shooter nearby.

“I’m going to miss everything. His smile. His laugh. I call him like 10 times a day just to make sure he’s OK,” Palombia said.

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Palombia said she has an idea who the shooter is, and thinks her son was targeted because of a past disagreement.

“Even though he’s up in heaven he’s still a stronger man than any of them are. He’s not weaker than them. Just because they took him from me, they can’t take him all the way. He will always be with me,” Palombia said.

No one has been charged and his mom is begging for the public to contact police with any information.

“How would you feel if it was your child? I would do it for you. I wouldn’t be scared,” Palombia said. “The worst moments of my life. I don’t know how I’ll ever get over it.”

The family set up a GoFundMe to help with funeral expenses.