Video: Family And Friends Continue To Fight For And Celebrate The Life Of Antwun Ronnie Shumpert

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI)- It’s been seven months now since Antwun Shumpert was fatally shot by a Tupelo Police Officer.

In an effort to his name and memory alive, family members and friends held a birthday celebration in his honor on Wednesday.

Car horns sounded off into the air as a motorcade of vehicles cruised throughout downtown Tupelo, making their way to the Tupelo Fairpark where family and friends gathered to celebrate Shumpert’s 38th birthday.

“On his birthday, there was always love in the air,” said Peggy Shumpert, Ronnie’s widow.

That same love filled the air in Tupelo as people sang songs, released balloons into the air, and reminisced on the fond memories they shared with Ronnie.

“Right now I’m just, I’m happy in my heart right now,” said Shumpert. “I’m hurting because he’s not here to be apart of it, but I’m happy because we do have supporters and people behind us that’s standing for what’s right.”

Shumpert said these past seven months without her husband have been anything but easy.

“It’s hard,” she described. “My husband is 38 years old today, and to think that just seven months ago we were just living our life, a normal life like everybody else, and know, having to wake up to just my two kids now.  Have to go seven months and not see him, not talk to him, not touch him, it’s definitely been a journey, and not an easy one.”

And she isn’t the only one who’s been missing Ronnie. The mother said her two kids have also been missing and asking about their father.

“They’re up in the middle of the night, they’re waking up out of bad dreams calling for their dad. It’s been a nightmare,” the mother explained.

Family members tell WCBI they’re going to continue to fight and keep Ronnie’s name alive. On the 19th of every month, they hold a candlelight vigil here at the Tupelo Fairpark to honor his memory.

The start time for that vigil kicks off at 6 pm and it’s open to the public