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NILES — A GoFundMe has been launched to support the family of the 14-year-old Niles teen who was killed during a May 12 shooting at Arbor Trail Apartments.

Donations in Gavin Blankenship’s name can be made to a GoFundMe created by his family or to  Moms Demand Action at momsdemandaction.org. 

“Gavin was a lover of life, a natural protector to his family and friends, they were all that mattered to him,” read a statement from the Blankenship family. “He was a boy in a man’s body, his mother’s ‘little man.’ He was a fun loving prankster and jokester who loved to make people laugh.”

Per the statement, Gavin enjoyed playing football, basketball, baseball and going fishing.

“You could always find him riding his bike, skateboarding or playing some kind of game with his family and friends. Gavin was an amazing artist and wanted to become a tattoo artist when he grew up.”

The shooting remains under investigation by the Niles Police Department. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the Niles Detective Bureau at (269) 683-0404, or make an anonymous tip through tipsoft.com, or by calling Crime Stoppers.