BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — The memorial for a 17-year-old shot and killed last year was vandalized for the third time. A burned cross Easter weekend is the last thing Jack Snyder's family expected to see.
Brooklyn Pryor and Meadow Synder feel their brother should've been home for Easter weekend. "He was the last person I thought this would happen to for sure," Meadow told FOX 17. "He was a sweet kid."
Instead, they're left to clean up memories.
The memorial sits on the corner of Battle Creek Avenue and Capital Avenue, the same spot where Jack was shot and killed while trying to offer two kids a ride in February of last year.
"Our brother deserves justice, and we will get that for him," Brooklyn said. "We will show that by making the memorial bigger and better over time, every single time."
According to Battle Creek police, the first incident happened March 15 and then twice over Easter weekend.
"We don't want to downplay it; we are going to investigate it to see if there's any leads that we can develop on," Lt. Joel Case said.
FOX 17 obtained surveillance video from a nearby business. You can't see a person, but you can see what looks like a fire being set.
While the sisters believe it's related to the upcoming trial on April 16, Lt. Case says they are not speculating. "It could be something as simple as kids being kids and just being mischievous, or it could be, you know, something more directed where they're trying to actually have an impact on the family."
The family spent Monday evening cleaning and rebuilding the memorial. Several people stopped by, planted flowers, laid down new mulch and lit candles.
"We’re built off a strong family and we will unite together and we will come back and we will build it up every single time," his aunt, Andrea Boggio, told FOX 17.
According to his family, Jack was an athlete, a good student and college bound. "It didn't matter what race what religion or anything. He was friends with everybody," said Ryan Jordan, his uncle.
The Boggios's message to whoever did this: "In court you'll get caught; everything in the darkness comes to light."
According to court records, the trial for one of the teens accused in Jack's death is set to begin April 16.
READ MORE: Court docs: Suspect took gun from mother before fatal shooting of Battle Creek teen
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