Kenneth Collier Jr. was all set to have one of the best birthday’s mom Tamika Trimble could give him.
“She said ‘I hope (you’re) ready to get some gifts,’” the boy, who lives with his dad, said in an interview with Channel 2 Action News.
Hours before the celebration, Trimble was killed outside a southeast Atlanta home.
Kenneth would find out about his mom’s death the morning he turned 10.
“I never thought I’d have to tell him his mom passed, especially on his birthday,” father Kenneth Collier Sr. told the news station.
There are “no new leads” in Trimble’s case, but “detectives are actively investigating,” the deadly Dec. 3 shooting, DeKalb County police spokeswoman Shiera Campbell told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in an email.
Police found Trimble, 33, shot to death behind the wheel of her car while her child was in the backseat, The AJC previously reported.
“By the grace of God the child was not hurt,” Campbell said at the time of the shooting. Trimble’s child — a daughter named Legacy — was placed in the custody of The Division of Family and Children Services, according to a redacted police report.
Officials at the scene said at least two shooters fired at the mother of seven from two separate locations, Channel 2 reported. Two cars drove from the scene and a second location was littered with roughly 12 shell casings, the news station reported.
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Trimble’s mom, Shelbra Trimble, told Channel 2 she doesn’t think her children were the intended target since Tamika Trimble was driving a different car after her van broke down.
“I never thought I would bury any of my children,” she said, “I was thinking I would leave first.”
Shelbra Trimble said she's trying to stay strong for her grandchildren, who are in DFCS care as she fights for custody. More than $2,500 had been raised for Trimble's seven children on a GoFundMe account by 8:30 p.m. Thursday.
Kenneth’s birthday was not forgotten in the middle of the tragedy.
He was gifted with Atlanta Falcons tickets to see them play against one of his favorite players, Carolina Panthers’ quarterback Cam Newton on Dec. 31 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Main Event Entertainment in Cobb County is also throwing a free birthday party for him and 25 of his friends.
"We want to make this the most special day," Sales manager Nicole Hage told Channel 2.
Hage also able to get Six Flags to donate season passes. Toys 'R' Us, Party City, Chick-fil-A, Party City, Publix and Toys ‘R’ Us are also helping out.
"It wasn't even a thought,” Hage said. “It was how quickly can we get this done.”
— Staff writer Lauren Foreman contributed to this report.
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