June is Gun Violence Awareness Month, which was created in an effort to raise awareness surrounding the issue of needless and senseless gun violence. In Clarksville-Montgomery County, there have been eight homicides and seven have involved guns. Three families in Clarksville share their stories of how gun violence forever changed their lives.
Sherley Perez’s two young sons lost their father, Kenneth Harris who was shot and killed in August 2017. Angela King, a then close family friend and Perez talk about how his death destroyed familial and friendship connections.
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW)- Devonte Harris, 13, was his father, Kenneth Harris’ right wing man.
He and his brother Deandre, 11, shared their father’s love of sports and his support as they played football. He often took them, and his youngest son Xavion, who he had with his wife, Lisa, to sporting events and church events.
He loved being with his children, said Sherley Perez, Devonte and Deandre’s mother.
Those are memories Perez reminds her sons as they deal with the grief of losing him. A small memorial spot is in their family home as a visual reminder of Harris, 33, who was shot and killed outside of Calle’s Too nightclub on August 6, 2017.
The morning of the day he died, Kenneth had traveled to Nashville to the Titan’s football stadium to watch his son play on the field.
“We were on rocky terms, but I’d invited him to the Titans Stadium because Devonte was going to play on the field with his football team,” Perez said. “We patched things up and we said we weren’t going to let things come between co-parenting and we were going to do what’s right for the boys. I was content with that. We never got to work through those things. I’m glad we got to the place we were. I’m glad he met us in Nashville that day.”
That was the last time the boys saw their father alive. Harris went to the night club with his close friend that night. The family was told he was talking to a group of people when the shots started and was hit as he tried to take cover. His friend, Andrell Harris, was also shot, but survived his injuries. Kenneth was not the intended target, his family has been told.
“Gun violence has destroyed our life. It’s destroyed everything. It’s a game changer,” Perez said. “The kids aren’t able to see and call their dad. It changed their whole life and things will never ever be the same. Everyday is a different battle. People say it gets easier, but it doesn’t.”
Devonte has been in therapy and she’s had to help him work through hard issues such as having suicidal ideology from his extreme grief.
“Kenneth and Devonte’s bond was unbreakable bond,” Perez said. “He had a phase of wanting to die and go be with his dad.”
Perez moved to Gallatin to give her children a new environment and fresh start to heal.
“His death pulled the family apart. Everyone wants answers about how does this and this connect,” Perez said. “There were people that were so involved in his dad’s life, and then everybody was gone and it was a big struggle.”
Since moving, Devonte has been paired with a Big Brother, his grades are improving and he’s back into sports.
With the anniversary of his death marking three years in August, the family waits for justice.
Tony Bristol, who knew both of the men and shared a familial connection through children, was charged with Harris’ murder. He is out on bond and awaiting trial. He has a court date set for July 31.
“We don’t’ know if we will ever get closure or the answers we want or need,” Perez said.
Perez gave her son’s a basketball necklace to keep their dad’s memory alive. Inside the ball, is some of their father’s ashes.
When asked what he wants people to remember about his father, Devonte Harris simply said, “He was a good person.”
‘He was like my brother’
Angela King’s family and the Harris family used to share a home and raised their children together. His death devastated both families.
“He was always around. My children admired him and he was Uncle Kenny,” King said. “We did everything together. There was not a time where we weren’t together. We were like a big, happy family. We had good times.”
King said Harris was the glue in the family.
“Kenny was always the one who held everyone together. He was a good person with a big heart and anywhere he showed up it was never any bad vibes, just good times and laughs,” King said. “He was goofy. Everything was funny to him. He had this happy personality and was always laughing, always in a good mood. Kenny was just a very positive human being. If you were down and had a bad day you just had to call Kenny and you were happy by the end of the call. He was very outgoing, a people person and very respectful.”
King said Kenneth’s death has been devastating to her and her children.
“Every since he’s been gone nothing is the same. My youngest daughter she’s always cried about him. She was very attached to him,” King said. “…To me Kenn,y even though we wasn’t related he was a brother, no matter what I could always count on him and his wife. They were always the people I could turn to and the other way around.”
Since his death, friendships and family relationships have suffered, she said.
“ We are just here raising our children. Everything is not ok no more…Life went from happy and everyone being Ok to the devil grabbed everyone by the neck. Everyone (began) going at each other and disrespecting each other. Even though this happened, we are learning to forgive and we will forever keep his memory alive. ”