BOYDS, Md. — Javon Gordon can be seen in the 2015 Clarksburg High School football team photo.
He was known to be nice and outgoing, with his friends describing him as someone who always gave his best effort on the field. Years after graduating, Diego Orrego and Seon Chreky said they remained close friends with Gordon.
Chreky's dad still smiles at the stories of him coming over for dinner or staying the night while hanging out with his son.
"He was always laughing, always had a smile on his face, always joking at something," Seon said. "If your day was not right or something, he was the one that would cheer you up and make you laugh at what the situation was.”
On Tuesday evening, Gordon's friends were met with heartbreak when they learned the 23-year-old died in a shooting.
Investigators said the shooting took place along the 12900 block of Ethel Rose Way in Boyds when Gordon approached a car and briefly spoke to a suspect or suspects inside.
Gordon was shot in his upper body, but the lifesaving measures administered by neighbors and emergency crews were not enough. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
While the motive for the crime still remains unknown, police believed the shooting was not random.
"As soon as I heard about it, I jumped on my bike and I was there within a few minutes," Orrego said. "I just hope he didn’t suffer too much. Losing him is a huge impact on the community, his friends, family, everyone that knew him.”
Two days after the shooting, Orrego came to the Chrekys home to continue planning for Gordon's vigil being held on Friday evening.
In the driveway, a banner of the 2015 Clarksburg football players was draped over the garage door. Gordon could be seen in the middle of the second row of players.
Just underneath the banner was a white sign that his friends put together.
"In Memory of Javon Gordon," it read.
"We want to make sure that his life doesn’t end in vain," David Chreky said. "As a group, they are always there for each other. He was a good man.”
Part of the special honors for Gordon is a GoFundMe page that was set up by Orrego to help the family pay for funeral expenses. As of Thursday night, it had raised more than $21,000.
"It’s very difficult seeing the sadness and feeling the bad ambiance. It’s a very sad situation," Orrego said. "At this point, I want the parents to worry about mourning their son's death and not worry about anything else.”
The vigil will be held at 6:30 pm on Friday at Clarksburg High School. Moving forward, the friends hoped the event could help show what Gordon meant to so many people.
"We want to make sure that Javon is remembered and he’s sent home the correct way," Orrego said.
On Thursday, police said the search for whoever shot Gordon was still ongoing. A reward of up to $10,000 is being offered and anyone with possible information on the case is asked to call Crime Solvers of Montgomery County at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).