VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) – As young boys, De’Jour Lavar Crippen aka “DJ” and his cousin Jordan spent a lot of time together. They were together on the night of December 2, after DJ clocked out from a parttime job.

“I texted him, was like, ‘What time do you get off?’ And at this time, it was already 9:30. I had no idea he had already gotten off of work an hour before and I get a phone call from his aunt, frantic, just screaming like Dee dee dee dee dee dee is dead,” Jordan said.

According to Virginia Beach Police, Crippen was shot outside the Tallwood Apartments, near the intersection of Kempsville Road and Schoolhouse Road. It’s an area the teens often visited. Police have charged another 17-year-old with pulling the trigger. He is charged with murder in the first degree.

DJ’s mom said the Indian River High School senior had just completed an exam required to join the Navy.

In online letters of condolence, he is remembered as being energetic, kind, and respectful.

Mr. Thomas, with the Indian River Community Center, wrote the following on the Metropolitan Funeral Home website:

“I can’t say enough about De’Jour. Myself and the staff at Indian River Community Center loved having De’Jour in the the building after school. he was always kind, respectful, and full of jokes that kept us entertained. the very few times he had to be corrected on something, his response was always yes sir/ma’am or no sir/ma’am. to hear that he just recently took the ASVAB test really touched me, as I am a retired Navy vet. I remember talking to him about the Navy his freshman year and I told him then if he ever wanted to know more, don’t hesitate to ask. he would have been a great sailor. he had the navy core values(honor, courage and commitment)instilled in him. I salute mom and dad for raising him well. on behalf of myself and the staff at Indian River CC we send our prayers and condolences to the family. We will miss him dearly.”

Metropolitan Funeral Home Condolence

“That’s what makes it so hard. Because I know he would have been phenomenal. I mean, he would have been phenomenal,” said Crippen’s mother. “He had the Navy core values. He did. And it wasn’t just me who was, you know, trying to encourage him to join the Navy, because that’s what we could see him as. You know, so many people saw him.”

Crippen’s mother said the suspect in her son’s murder was known to him and his cousin Jordan. She believes DJ was not the intended target; that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

This is an ongoing investigation. Police ask if you know anything, you call the Crime Line with tips, at 1-888-Lock-You-Up.