Slain boy's family touched by show of support
ASHEBORO — Blue ribbons can be seen all over the place in Randolph County, each bearing a yellow “#8.”
They have gone up in remembrance of Pedro Ortiz-Perez, 16, a sophomore at Southwest Randolph High School, who was shot in the jaw and neck area on May 3 near North Asheboro Park on Canoy Drive and died May 15 at UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill. Police have said they do not think he was the intended target of the shooting.
Blue and gold are Southwest Randolph’s colors, and 8 was the number that Pedro, who played soccer since he was very young, wore on the high school soccer team, which is retiring his number and has dedicated next season in his memory.
Cary Iraheta, Pedro’s aunt, said the ribbons were the idea of Anna Fair, the sister of the soccer team’s coach, Jeff Tyl. Fair posted a suggestion on Facebook for making the ribbons.
“She has said she has had an overflowing amount of people wanting to support and asking for ribbons. She had a huge, huge order and sold out,” Iraheta said.
Melissa Tuttle and Kathy Voncannon made probably 200 bows, she said.
Fair said she felt “we needed to do this as a community.”
“The whole reason for this was for the family to know they are being prayed for and supported and that Pedro’s life mattered and still does,” she said. “This is all of us doing the second most important commandment in the Bible, loving our neighbor.”
Iraheta said the sight of the ribbons all over has meant a lot to Pedro’s family.
“Something Pedro would always tell his mother was. ‘Yo te voy a cuidar,’ which translates to, ‘I’m going to take care of you,’ and it has been something so beautiful to see everyone honoring his words and making sure his family knows they are not alone in this tough time,” she said.
The 16-year-old accused of shooting Pedro was arrested May 10 in Statesville, and police have said elevated charges will be presented to a grand jury.