MISHAWAKA, Ind. — Residents of Niles and Buchanan mourned the loss of the man they referred to as a community leader, youth mentor and best friend to many, as they gathered Monday night to remember the life of Avery Christopher Brown.

A candlelight vigil in his honor took place in the parking lot outside Bleacher’s “The Bar” in Mishawaka, Indiana. Brown, 28, formerly of Niles, was fatally shot inside the bar around 2 a.m. Sept. 21. A suspect has yet to be arrested in connection with his death, according to Jessica McBrier, the director of media relations for the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office. The events leading up to the shooting have not been revealed and the St. Joseph County Metro Homicide Unit is actively investigating the case.

For the more than 100 people who gathered, the vigil was about remembering Brown’s dedication to his friends, his family and his Niles and Buchanan communities. Those who attended lit a candle in Brown’s memory, joining in a prayer and taking turns sharing memories about the community idol.

Hayley Cashier, of Buchanan, helped to organize Monday’s vigil. She said she grew up with Brown and had known him most of her life. Both are 2008 Buchanan High School graduates.

Those who knew Brown knew he loved basketball, she said.

“He had a really pretty jump and we would always make fun of him,” Cashier said. “He would just light up the court.”

Brown shared that passion with youth through his volunteer work with the Buchanan Teen Center, where he was a coach and referee for Junior Bucks. While the center closed about 10 years ago, she said Brown remained an active part of youths’ lives, frequently offering to teach them pointers about basketball at the local parks where he shot hoops. Brown was also a family fixture, caring for his younger cousins like they were brothers and sisters, Cashier said.

Cashier said she was confident that what people would remember most about Brown was his smile.

“He could get you to smile just from his smile,” Cashier said. “It just lit up the room and his joy and his jokes. He was a funny guy. But he loved hard. He would go out of his way to do anything for anybody that he cared about. I want people to remember Avery Brown for who he really was.”

While there were many tears shed during the vigil, there were laughs, too, as community members shared memories of Brown as a child — catching the attention of other children as he did acrobatic flips through a park, or standing up for his friends when a man yelled at them because he thought they shot his car with a paint ball gun.

Brown’s cousin, SaVon Brown, 24, of Atlanta, Georgia, said that Brown was like a brother to him. SaVon grew up in Buchanan and spent lots of time with Brown.

“He was a big brother that I never had. He was a father when it was time to do fatherly things,” Savon said. “He was a great listener and such a protector. The only time you ever saw him hurt or down was when someone else from the family was hurt or down.”

 

Looking out over the crowd Monday night, SaVon said it was apparent just how many people’s lives Brown had been able to touch. He said that night he was holding on to all the great memories he shared with Brown.

“I got 24 great years with him,” SaVon said.

In addition to remembering Brown, Cashier said she hoped that the vigil sent a message to the Michiana community.

“I also just wanted to have people come out and just remember and kind of just stop the violence,” Cashier said. “I do not know what happened, but I just know it is not fair, it is not right. Just get out and support that cause [to] value life. It’s sad that we are losing people at such a young age.”

Brown’s body was sent to Fort Wayne, Indiana for an autopsy Saturday. A forensic pathologist ruled that his death was caused by multiple gunshot wounds, according to McBrier.

Brown’s driver’s license listed his most recent address in Niles, but she said investigators have reason to believe that he was staying in South Bend. The investigation remains ongoing and anyone with information about the Brown’s death is advised to call the Metro County Homicide Unit at (574) 235-5009.

For the man who was known to be the light of many people’s lives, it seemed only fitting that the vigil ended Monday night by sending paper lanterns into the air.