Destiny Charles, victim in fatal Germantown shooting, laid to rest

GERMANTOWN (WTXF) - Family and friends gather to mourn the loss of a 19-year-old girl.

Destiny Charles was shot sitting on a front porch with friends in Germantown.

Police are still searching for the two suspected shooters.

The service celebrated Destiny's life, her few short years on earth packed with love and dreams never realized.

Hundreds gathered at Germantown Mennonite Church to celebrate the life of the 19-year-old. Her boyfriend, Damire Carter, held her as she lay dying.

"I was there. Through everything. Through the hospital, through the cop car. Going to the hospital holding her in the back of the car," Carter said. "Every time I close my eyes, I see different memories of either that day or the times in the hospital, or us in the house or just that smile she would give me. It's been a long ride," he added.

Destiney was remembered as kind and loving, with a special knack for kids and animals.

"Her character was tremendous. She had a lot of life to give and it was all taken away too soon," said Elsa Wilson.

"She was really energetic and she was a great person," another friend said.

Police say September 5th at 7:15 p.m.., two gunmen jumped out of a Ford Explorer seen in surveillance footage and began spraying bullets at a group of friends gathered on the 6300 block of Cherokee Street in the city's Germantown section. Destiny was killed, another friend paralyzed. Detectives are at a loss for a motive. They say the victims were all good kids and never in trouble with authorities. Loved ones are asking for anyone with information on the gunmen to come forward.

"You need to face up to what you've done and you need to come back and ask for healing," said Pastor John Bergen, with the Germantown Mennonite Church.

In the meantime, Destiny's loved ones are struggling to let go.

"To lose this person who brought me genuine happiness is just devastating," Carter said.

Destiny's killers remain on the loose. The second victim was paralyzed. If anyone has information about the shooting, that information can be given to police anonymously. There is a reward for information leading to an arrest.